Crimson Dreams
by BelleDayNight
Summary: Sakura is being haunted by the ghost of Itachi Uchiha. Her duties at the hospital have been interrupted for a solo mission to either recruit or end Sasuke in order to protect both Naruto and Konoha. Success hinges on the aid of a dead man haunting her dreams, getting over her old crush, righting the wrongs of years past, and smashing things along the way.
1. Chapter 1

_Naruto belongs to the great Masashi Kishimoto, but I sure do enjoy all his characters and that's the reason behind this fanfiction! This contains some spoilers up to 483 in the manga._

**Chapter One:**

"We have a code blue! We need a medic!"

"Incoming four-man cell all in critical condition!"

Sakura blew a wisp of pink hair away from her eyes as she concentrated on applying the last stitch in the ten inch laceration across the thigh of her patient. She'd already applied a good dose of chakra to stanch the severed vessel.

"You were lucky that kunai didn't hit hit a major artery," Sakura said for the third time. Konohamaru merely shrugged. "Just try to be more careful next time."

"As long as you're nearby I'll be fine. Konoha has the best medics."

"Just work on your defense and you'll not have to worry about bleeding out before you can reach medical attention." Sakura finished tying off the last stitch. Ever since Pain's attack and Konohamaru's bold actions during the fight the kid had been in and out of the hospital. Ever since Naruto went off the last time he'd been training harder and harder determined to be a strong as everyone's favorite Ramen loving ninja.

"Sakura!" A nurse with long, dark hair called coming up to Sakura's side as she began to put away her sharps and dispose of her tools.

"I want to have you back in seven days to take out those stitches, understood, Konohamaru?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, of course, seven days," he said pushing himself off the table and running out of her field of vision.

"Kids," the nurse said with a shake of her head.

"How may I help you, Mae?" Sakura asked turning to her.

"Hyuga is in. You know how he is. And since Lady Tsunade is unavailable..."

"He wants me," Sakura said knowingly. It was interesting how Neji Hyuga always specifically requested her. However, no one in their right mind would turn down the Hokage should she be the one to treat. Sakura followed after Mae to the partitioned area for minor wounds. "Do we have people ready for the incoming party of four?"

"Lady Shizune is taking care of it," Mae answered. She pointed to the curtained area Neji was but didn't dare go further for fear of the wrath of Hyuga. "Good luck," she said before leaving.

Sakura pushed back the curtain to see Neji resting comfortably on his hospital bed. His vest and shirt were on the chair next to his bed and his chest was a colorful patchwork of purple, red, and blue bruises.

"I had a bit of a fall," Neji said with narrowed eyes daring her to question him.

"And you hit every single branch of a three hundred meter tall tree on the way down?"

He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest cringing in the process at the discomfort before putting his arms back to his side. "Lee and I were in a sparring match and I wasn't allowed to use my Byakugun."

"Why not?" Sakura asked coming to his side with her fingers glowing green as she pressed them gently to a particularly nasty bruise on his left ribs. She frowned at what she found. "You broke four ribs, Neji."

"It was Tenten's idea. I'm jounin and I told them I was thinking of joining Anbu."

"And if you did that you'd no longer be on Team Guy," Sakura said understanding the situation.

"All I said was that I was thinking of it, after what happened with Pain and the entire village was destroyed it just got me thinking. It wasn't like I was going to leave them and join Anbu the next day or anything."

"And so Tenten challenged you to face Lee on equal ground."

Neji gave a curt nod.

"Don't they realize you already have been training with Anbu?"

The ribs were healing. The spleen was bruised and he was lucky it hadn't ruptured. The liver was also bruised so she focused on those organs after healing the ribs surrounding his heart.

"You really out did yourself, Neji," Sakura said quietly. She looked up from what she was doing to search the medical tray set up by the sink of his partitioned area. "I'll have to get some alcohol swabs. You've got one nasty cut under your sternum here," she said putting a soothing dose of chakra to the area.

"Did the curtain just move?" Neji asked.

Sakura looked over her shoulder, but the curtain seemed perfectly still to her. Her eyes flickered toward the medical tray and she noticed a few alcohol swabs lay in the center. "I must be tired. I didn't even notice these," she said reaching for one to disinfect the small laceration.

"Just don't over do it next time Neji. Between you and Konohamaru I can hardly miss treating Kakashi all the time. It's like the two of you are picking up the slack in reckless endangerment to oneself during his absence."

"Just doing my part," Neji said with a ghost of a smile. "Will you clear me physically for a mission tomorrow?"

"Yeah, you'll be fine," Sakura assured him finishing up his wound care. "At least I didn't have to practice my barbaric suturing techniques on you."

He lifted his elbow showing off a small scar. "I wear this as a badge of honor."

"Get out of here already, but if I see Lee in the next partition and he's as bad as you then I'll get you a few more bruises."

"He's fine. Hinata took care of him half-an hour ago. Would you like to get something to eat after you get off work?"

"I'm supposed to meet Sai at the noodle stand after my shift ends," she said looking down at her watch with a small laugh. "And apparently my shift ended two hours ago. You want to join us?"

"I'll pass on the Ramen. Maybe some other time. Being trained under the best medic in all of Konoha I'd think you'd realize the lack of nutritional value in Ramen."

Sakura shrugged. "It's tradition. You get all bruised and battered fighting Lee. I eat Ramen with Team 7. Both are bad for you, but one certainly hurts less!"

**OoO**

It had been weeks since news of Itachi's death had reached Konoha. Many of the ninja were elated that the mass murderer had finally met his just reward. Only a handful knew the truth behind the corrupt counsel of elders.

Sakura and Sai sat at Ikamura Ramen noodle stand having dinner. Naruto was off with Kakashi and Yamato training and Lady Tsunade was still in her coma and somehow Danzo had maneuvered himself into the position of Hokage.

"How was the hospital?" Sai asked carefully. Sakura would have to admit that her somewhat socially awkward teammate was trying harder and getting better at not completely alienating others.

"Busy," Sakura muttered before eating more of her noodles. Usually, the beauty about eating with Sai was that conversation wasn't required. Usually.

"Oh? Have you more duties with Lady Tsunade unconscious?"

"Fewer, actually. With Lady Tsunade no longer the active Hokage I don't have to help with some of the organizational and management parts of the government. Also, with the rest of Team 7 gone I suddenly have all this free time on my hands to devote to my patients. Though certain ones keep seeming to show up over and over again," she added thinking of Konohamaru and Neji. Sakura paused, carefully looking at Sai and his blank face. There was no false smile curving his lips and she knew he was worried about their teammates. "What's on your mind, Sai?"

"Did you really think that Sasuke could defeat Itachi?" he whispered so only her ears could hear him.

Sakura shook her head. "To know the truth behind Itachi's actions-he's a self-sacrificing hero and yet we had all ostracized him and treated him like a monster."

"He did join Akatsuki," Sai pointed out.

"To do the role of a double agent spy again." Sakura finished her noodles and sighed unhappily at the current state of affairs. "What's Danzo really like?"

Sai stuck his tongue out at her and it was emblazoned with the cursed seal that all Root members had when questions about Danzo were asked and they really wanted to answer.

"The fact that he has put a curse on you so that you couldn't talk about his dealings should be proof enough. He was the one in charge of the idea to destroy the Uchiha clan you have to wonder about his motives. Surely, a more peaceful solution could have presented itself."

Sai shrugged and then paid the bill for both their meals. "Let's go. There's still a matter I wanted to talk to you about."

They walked down the quiet streets of the village. The residents were staying locked up in their homes. After the battle with Pain everyone was justifiably paranoid and with Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato away it was strange to see so many eyes looking upon her and Sai with expectation. She was sure that many of her friends were getting similarly looked upon, but it didn't make her feel any more comfortable.

"What was the promise Naruto made to you?" Sai asked.

Sakura blinked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about, Sai?"

He waved away her question. "We both know Naruto's ninja way is to never go back on his word. What did he promise you that he's willing to throw his life away?"

Sakura's eyes teared up at the accusatory tone in Sai's voice. How dare he? "That's between Naruto and myself."

Sai grabbed her upper arms in a bruising grasp and pulled her to face toward him. They were so close their noses were touching and his breath was coming quick and shallow in anger. "Tell me why my Team 7 seems to have a death wish. I deserve to know." A cold breeze seemed to hit them and his grip loosened slightly.

A slight infusion of chakra in her limbs enabled Sakura to pull away completely from him. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance. "We promised each other that we would save Sasuke and bring him home."

He nodded his head. "Of course, because you were in love with him when you were twelve."

"No! Because he is Naruto's best friend and my teammate. I told Sasuke that I loved him. Do you know what he said to me after I expressed my undying love for him? He said, 'Thank you,' and then he knocked me out cold so I couldn't follow!"

"Good, at least he did one thing right," Sai muttered.

"What are you talking about?"

"I remember you. Long pink hair, just as giggly as all the other girls at that age. But, I also remember you before then when you saw a lonely blond boy in the park and gave him a flower before starting the academy. I think that was the first nice thing anyone had done for Naruto"

"How do you know? Weren't you underground being brainwashed in Root?"

Sai looked away. "Sometimes, my brother and I would walk the streets' shadows and tree-line to see what normal children were like." He looked back at her. "Sasuke is not Naruto's best friend. You are. You always have been. And he's going to try and get himself killed to bring back the boy that keeps breaking both of your hearts. Who is more important? Sasuke or Naruto?"

"You mean choose?"

"That's exactly what I mean. The only good thing Sasuke ever did was leaving you behind. If he hadn't you wouldn't be the greatest medic in the Hidden Leaf. You wouldn't have your monstrous strength. You wouldn't be the best friend and rock of the future Hokage. And you wouldn't have been my friend. I had specifically requested Team 7 from Danzo. It was the only thing I've ever asked for, to be part of your team."

"Sai..."

He held up a hand to silence her.

Sakura's brow crinkled in irritation and she ignored his gesture. "I'll speak with Lee and Kiba tonight. Tomorrow, let's find Naruto and I'll talk him out of this."

"Go to sleep, Sakura. You just worked an eighteen hour shift. I'll talk to Kiba and Lee. What time do you want to leave?"

"At sunrise," she answered. She and Sai locked gazes before they both turned without a word to go in the opposite direction. "And Sai," she called over her shoulder. She waited until he looked back at her. "You shouldn't judge a girl by her actions as a twelve year old. It's unfair."

He gave a curt nod before taking off again.

A few minutes later and she was home. "I was perfectly capable of talking to Lee and Kiba," she muttered jamming her keys into the front lock of her apartment door. She touched her doorframe and disabled her chakra infused alarm system and shut the door behind her. The keys were tossed onto the side table and she went straight for the refrigerator to drink some cranberry juice. The conversation with Sai continued to run through her mind.

Danzo had issued an order to kill Sasuke. And the last time she saw her former teammate he had tried to kill both her and Naruto. If Yamato hadn't interfered would he have succeeded? That possibility still bothered her. He'd killed both Orochimaru and Itachi so killing her wouldn't be much of a challenge in spite of the strength she'd acquired over the years.

She went to the bathroom and set the shower running. Who knew the next time she'd have the luxury? The hot water helped sooth her aching muscles. She wasn't necessary dirty as she'd already had a shower at the hospital after her last surgery before she treated Konohamaru. It had been a bloody battle but she'd won it and saved the life of the valiant shinobi on her table-unlike Konohamaru that one had severed a major artery, but he'd keep his leg and would have a full recovery.

After stepping out with the towel securely fastened around her she reached for her lavender and cherry blossom body cream. However, it wasn't on the counter in its usual position. Maybe she left it in on her dresser. She walked to her bedroom leaving slightly damp footprints on the wooden floor. It wasn't on the dresser.

"That's odd," she said to herself going back to the bathroom. She would just use another cream since she seemed to have misplaced it. It was a surprise to see the purple tube sitting in its usual place.

"I must be more tired than I thought," she said reaching for it and going about the process of application. A chill coursed down her spine and she looked over her shoulder with the odd feeling of being watched. Once more she brushed the feeling off as being fatigued from her hospital shift and the stress of what tomorrow had to bring.

She slipped on an over-sized t-shirt and then fell into bed. It didn't take long for her fall into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: **

Sai went directly to the popular ninja bar that his companions were known to frequently attend. They might have been underage at most bars, but when you're a ninja and you risk your life everyday for your village they tend to be a bit more lax about the rules. It was one of the best places to pick up on the local gossip, not that Sai would ever partake in such a thing, but Sakura and Ino seemed to enjoy such things and he often found himself dragged along.

And the food was great, so even if the sake was off-limits there was plenty to enjoy.

It didn't take long before he spotted his targets in the far corner of the bar tucked away in the shadows. Fortunately, Kiba and Lee were sitting at the same table along with Neji and Shikamaru.

"Hinata's still depressed. She's been recovered physically for a while now but mentally she's a mess. Her father's given her a great deal of grief for risking her life for Naruto," Neji confided before taking a drink from the glass of water in front of him. He opened his mouth to continue, but then his milky-white eyes fell upon Sai. "Sai,"he greeted in a voice that lacked the warmth it had only moments before.

The others looked over toward him with various expressions of greeting. Shikamaru nodded his head, Lee smiled broadly, and Kiba pushed back the unoccupied chair next to him and gestured for Sai to sit.

"Come have a seat, Sai," Kiba said patting the empty chair. "We were just talking about the time when my love-sick teammate risked her life for everyone's favorite idiot." He laughed boldly. "As if Naruto needed any help!"

Sai took the offered seat and was glad that both Kiba and Lee were present. It made his responsibilities easier. Neji was still watching him with a somewhat hostile look and Shikamaru idly twirled an unlit cigarette between his fingers. Ever since Asuma's death more often than not the lazy genius could be seen with a pack of cigarettes, though he seldom smoked them after he dispatched of the Akatsuki responsible for his teacher's death.

"Tenten is visiting her now," Rock Lee added. "Hinata wanted to see Sakura-san, but Neji told her it was impossible since she had just finished a very long shift at the hospital."

Sai looked back over at Neji and tried to analyze the Hyuga's attitude. There was no particular reason for Hyuga to dislike Sai, but he was under that distinct impression. Perhaps he was jealous of his relationship with Sakura? Sai shook his head slightly at the idea-surely not.

"Hello everyone," Sai said politely with his much practiced polite smile. "It is convenient that you are both here, Kiba and Lee. Sakura has a request for the both of you."

Neji folded his elbows and forearms over the table and leaned closer. Shikamaru's dark eyes shown with a keen interest. Kiba and Lee both listened attentively much more focused than moments ago.

"She would ask that you both join the two of us tomorrow on a mission to find Naruto. There is an urgent need that she speak with him," Sai explained. He had learned the art of giving only necessary information. There was no need to know that Sakura's need to speak with Naruto was from his pointing out to her the selfishness of her past promise and the danger it presented to their teammate.

"I would ask if you'd informed the Hokage and received permission for this mission," Shikamaru said before either young man could answer. "However, with Lady Tsunade unconscious and the strangely elected Danko as the sixth and at some meeting of the Kages that would be difficult to do."

"Kakashi Hatake should have been the sixth," Kiba said taking an angry drink out of his glass. He didn't appear to be drinking water and the slightly bitter-sweet scent of alcohol tickled Sai's sense of smell.

"The elders had actually wanted Kakashi as the sixth, but Danzo convinced them that he had the better experience," Shikamaru said. "I'd have preferred Kakashi myself," he said with a touch of admiration. Kakashi had taken Shikamaru's team under his wing when they tracked down the Akatsuki responsible for their teacher's death.

"The elders are spineless," Neji said quietly.

"And corrupt, but what can we do?" Shikamaru answered with a helpless shrug before tucking the unlit cigarette into his front pocket.

"I can only speak for myself, but if Sakura-san has a need of me I will be happy to help her in any way I can. It was she that gave me confidence after we first went looking for Sasuke and I became injured. She never let me give up thinking I'd recover and be a great ninja!" Lee's eyes were bright in happy memory. Sai had to wonder if Sakura knew he'd react this way to her request-if so it was a wise choice.

"Of course!" Kiba chimed in his own answer. "Danger and action always seem to follow Sakura's team. I'm sick and tired of sitting around and waiting for the next attack. I want to prevent it!"

Neji's lips were tight and his expression unhappy. "I would prefer if someone with a bit more experience were also present."

"I'm a member of the elite Root," Sai answered him with another polite smile that he didn't feel. "Sakura is the apprentice of the great Sannin Tsunade and she defeated a member of the Akatsuki. We've faced off against both Itachi, Kisame, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke. A mission to track down and speak to Naruto is within out capabilities."

"I would like to volunteer regardless," Neji said. "I've worked with Sakura before and she could use my eyes and experience. The forests are full of unknown dangers as we're currently in the calm before the storm of war."

"She didn't ask for you," Sai said in a flat voice.

Shikamaru put a friendly hand on Neji's stiff shoulder. "This is too troublesome," he muttered. "Neji, you have a mission tomorrow with a cell of Jounin. Even if you wanted to join Sakura's team-which I'm sure she wouldn't have minded-you have other obligations."

Neji eased back in his chair, but his eyes still bore an unhappy menace directed toward Sai.

"I would volunteer as well, Sai, but I have obligations with the Hokage's absence and cannot leave. However, I will fill out whatever necessary paperwork there might be to make sure this mission goes as smoothly as possible should there be any issues. You make sure you let Sakura know how troublesome she is for making me do this."

"I will inform her," Sai reassured. He gave Kiba and Lee a quick, genuine smile. "I will see you both at sunrise at the front gates." He stood and made to leave the tavern, but he could feel the cold stare of Neji Hyuga burning into his back.

**OoO**

Sakura took a deep breath of the relaxing lavender field. She walked barefoot and the cool grass and lavender herbs felt soothing between her toes. There was a bubbling brook nearby and that provided ambient white noise. A white lacy dress graced her body with an easy flow. Only in her dreams did Sakura look girly and frilly. Ever since Sasuke she'd focused on her studies both in medicine and in the art of ninjutsu. She didn't have time for long hair and ribbons and long pretty dresses. And this particular dream was a common one of hers that promoted healing in both mind and body.

"It's about time you fell asleep," a deep, oddly familiar voice sounded from behind her causing her heart to jump.

She turned to see who had interrupted her very personal dream and took a step back at seeing none other than Itachi Uchiha. A character like that in her soothing dream was contradictory to her goal of relaxation.

"Yes, it is a dream," Itachi said reaching down to pluck up a handful of lavender. "And yes, I'm really here and not a figment of your imagination." He sniffed the herbs before opening his hand and letting them drift on the light breeze. "Nice dream world."

"It's where I go to relax. What do you mean you're not a figment of my imagination?" He certainly seemed like the Itachi she knew. He was slightly above average height, lean, with his face deeply lines in the nasomaxillary fold-a trait generally acquired from exposure to great stress of which in her medical opinion he was definitely a candidate. His hair was loose about his shoulders instead of tied back and looked like black silk that was dark as a raven. The only exception was that he didn't have on the red and black clouded cloak of the Akatsuki, but he did have on the black fishnet ninja gear she remembered him wearing underneath it.

And his nails were black. If she were to dream about Itachi-which she wouldn't-she'd have given him normal nails. She must have been more exhausted than she thought to be seeing such a thing.

Itachi looked down at his nails. "I didn't realize they bothered you," he said quietly. Suddenly, his nails were no longer painted black but were the normal pinkish cast of natural nails. He smirked at her-a look so similar to a younger Sasuke that it hurt. "I'm real."

"You're dead," Sakura said cocking her head to the side and staring at him-he didn't look transparent but seemed quite solid. She'd never been this close to him without also experiencing the overwhelming fear of being killed. Now she knew the horrible truth that he was actually loyal to Konoha and had no intention of harming her team in all their various confrontations. The most dangerous member of Akatsuki was actually the safest. It put everything she knew about him into a different perspective and suddenly he went from scary and overbearing to kind of good looking, scary, and overbearing. "Sasuke killed you."

"I allowed him to kill me," Itachi corrected. "I was already dying," he said taking a step closer to her. Suddenly he was standing right in front of her defying the laws of physics-even dream physics-and lifted a tendril of her pink hair to rub between his fingers. "It's strange being dead. I thought I'd go on to the next plane of existence, but it appears I'm stuck in some sort of limbo." He dropped her hair and looked down at her. "I need your help, Sakura."

"You need my help? The great genius of Itachi Uchiha needs the help of the lowly Sakura Haruno? The man who was able to single-handedly take down the strongest clan in our village and evade capture as a fugitive for almost a decade?"

"Seeing as you are alive and I am dead, you seem to have the advantage," he answered dryly. The gentle breeze blew his dark hair about his face and given their close proximity it brushed against Sakura's neck.

"Why me?"

He sighed and looked down at her. His eyes were ebony with no trace of the fearsome, crimson Sharingan. "I gave up everything for Konoha. All my hopes rested within Sasuke. It seems they were misplaced." Itachi smiled sadly. "It would seem that the genius Itachi Uchiha miscalculated."

"Okay," Sakura said sitting down with her legs folded under her in the field and the long white dress fanned out around her. She patted the spot next to her and Itachi joined her by sitting Lotus-style on the ground. "Do continue."

"I cannot rest until Madaara is destroyed. And I cannot allow Sasuke to be corrupted into the monster he once thought I was. He has joined Akatsuki in my place though his intentions are far from noble. Now that he knows the truth he is intent on destroying Konoha instead of being her hero."

"The truth being that the elders ordered you to destroy your clan," Sakura said.

Itachi ran his fingers over the ground until he pulled up a smooth stone. He tossed it toward the brook and it skipped four times before sinking under the surface. "There are only four people in the world that Sasuke cares about at all. And that is your Team 7 and myself, but seeing as I'm dead I am no longer in the equation."

"So why not go to Kakashi or Naruto?"

"I have my own reasons. But if you'd like to spell some out for you: Naruto's mind is too crowded with the Kyubi. And frankly, I prefer you to the Copy Ninja. Upon confronting Sasuke they would be forced to engage in a fight. He won't see you as a threat. You, however, would serve as a useful tool to him and I'm afraid that is all that matters to my little brother-usefulness."

Sakura burst into laughter. Tears sprang to her eyes and she wiped them away with the back of her hand in a vain attempt to stanch the flow. She struggled to collect herself, but laughed all the more upon seeing the annoyed look on Itachi's face.

"Sasuke has over-used his Sharingan and will soon be blind. He lacks the control that I possessed and the willpower to use that little which he does have. My brother seeks to destroy while I had hoped he would protect." Itachi reached for Sakura's wrist and drew her hand toward him. She stopped laughing and stared at her hand in his-he didn't feel like a dream. He was warm and his hands were strong. "You have the gift of healing," he said softly tracing the lines of her palm. "And he will not kill you."

"He seemed pretty determined to do so the last time I saw him," she said jerking her hand away from his grasp disturbed by the sensation.

"An act to prove his loyalty to Orochimaru no doubt. I allowed Sasuke to fight me for several reasons. One was to infuse him with my powers and the other was to cleanse him of the taint of that parasitic snake."

"You said you were dying. What was wrong with you?"

Itachi touched his chest. "A lung disease. I took medication to prolong my life, but eventually I was always a lost cause."

"Had you ever sought the attention of a medic? I might have been able to do something," Sakura said poking his chest.

He smiled at her sadly. "I sought the village doctors and they prescribed herbs and medications to help control the symptoms. Perhaps you or Lady Tsunade might have been able to cure me, but I had a death wish, remember?"

"And now that your wish has been granted?"

Itachi looked far into the distance staring at something Sakura couldn't see-something in his mind only that wasn't included in her dreamscape. "That's why I need your help now."

"Did you move my body cream?"

"The lavender bottle? I am noticing a common trend with you."

"It's a nice smell!" Sakura defended. "And relaxing!" She didn't add that it was a new favorite scent of hers after discovering that she used the same shampoo as Kakashi's dog Pakkun. Itachi didn't need to know such trivial details.

He chuckled and turned back to her and the lines in his face didn't seem quite as deep. "There was no contradiction on my part. And yes, I moved it. It was a test."

"Did you pass?" Sakura said sarcastically.

Itachi looked thoughtful. "Possibly. I'm still-for lack of a better term-training."

"What if you're wrong again? What if Sasuke just kills me with all those lovely powers you gave him?"

"He won't."

"I'm filled with confidence," she said standing and brushing off the lavender pedals that had fallen onto her skirt.

"I won't allow it."

"News-flash, Itachi, you're dead." There was a faint buzzing in her ear.

Itachi gave her a sad look and his ebony eyes flashed crimson. "It's time for you to wake up Sakura. Safe travels to you and your team. Look inside the inner pocket of your cloak. I will see you soon."

Sakura's eyes opened wide and she sat up in bed with the scent of lavender strong in her olfactory sense. The sky outside her window was still dark but her alarm clock was buzzing away at a loud, annoying pace. She turned it off carefully. She'd already broken three alarm clocks in the last month with her monstrous strength. She puzzled over her dream-it was becoming hazy, but she remembered clearly that she'd had an entire conversation with the ghost of Itachi Uchiha.

Blearily she rubbed her eyes and then crawled out of bed. He told her to look inside the inner pocket of her cloak and even though she knew it was only a dream she still felt compelled to search. Her greyish-white cloak was draped over the decorative shogi screen in the corner of her room alongside several scarves.

Sakura looked at the two inner pockets and found nothing within, but then she noticed a very faint series of stitching near the base of the cloak. It was certainly not part of the factory design and appeared as if someone had taken a sewing kit and added an extra, secret pocket. She pulled back the delicate seams and it unraveled. A silver pendant of some sort fell out onto her palm. It was a necklace with a circular charm and inlaid within the circle was a bird with its wings spread wide in a V.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**:

Sakura looked once more at the nondescript khaki canvas bag on her bed trying to decide if she had forgotten anything. Energy bars-check, water supply-check, cooking utensils-check, medical kit-check, spare set of clothes complete with fresh underwear-check, extra kunai-check, knockout gas-check. Mysterious necklace that was in her cloak but shouldn't have been-check. She still didn't feel like she had everything she might need and time was not on her side if she still wanted to sneak into the hospital and see Tsunade-shishou. She scanned her room once more critically and her attention landed on the medical book she had been reading through. It had an interesting section about the chakra flow and the ocular system that she wanted to learn more about for Kakashi-sensei. There was no need to waste time that could be utilized learning while she traveled so she packed it as well.

Satisfied that she wasn't forgetting anything Sakura left her bag hidden in the closet and set off down the rooftops of Konoha with her cloak whipping behind her on the way to the hospital. Normally, she'd take this route on the ground level since it was expected for her to continue reporting for her duties as a medic, but there was a sense of necessity in avoiding detection by all the Root ninja that had clogged the streets since Danzo's ascension to Hokage. It seemed to not matter what time of day or night it was for they were everywhere.

Truly, there was nothing out of the ordinary for her to visit her former shishou, but it was outside of the normal visiting hours and she was about to leave the village without official permission. It would be best to remain as unnoticeable as possible. She knew the guards that would be watching the gate later and they were not members of Root so it shouldn't be a problem. Still, it didn't hurt to be cautious.

A quick glance toward the horizon and she could see that the struggle between the sun and the night was drawing to an end and that the sun's stubborn rays would soon illuminate the dawn sky. Tsunade was on the top floor and Sakura only paused a moment to catch her breath upon arriving. Thankfully enough her room's window was open. Shizune wanted to make sure the Fifth was as comfortable as possible and that included making sure she had fresh air. Luckily, Danzo didn't waste any of his Root forces guarding the Fifth Hokage and whomever the loyal Leaf nin that may have had guard duty would recognize both Sakura and Shizune's chakra and think nothing of interfering with a visit-hoping a new medical breakthrough might have been discovered to bring her out of the coma. Other than Root, no one was especially pleased with having Danzo as Hokage.

With nimble movements Sakura slipped into the open window grateful for the sneaking techniques Kakashi-sensei had taught her. She could cling onto the underside of a tree branch with nothing but chakra infusing her fingertips so entering Tsunade's hospital window was a piece of cake as long as she didn't knock over the flower pots on the window seal. However, seeing her teacher unconscious looking weak and aged hooked up with various tubes connecting her to the bulky machine behind her was substantially harder. Sakura had put patients into medically-induced comas before, but she'd never seen one last as long as Tsunade's and hated feeling powerless against it. No matter whatever techniques she and Shizune tried the granddaughter of the First Hokage remained in her condition. Shizune explained that a coma was the body's way of shutting itself down so that it would better recover and be stronger after an intense trauma. What she didn't voice, that neither of them wanted to admit, was that the longer Tsunade remained comatose the less likelihood that she would ever wake up.

Next to Tsunade's bed there was one worn chair set aside for visitors and a table full of colorful flowers. Sakura sat beside her on the chair and gently ran her hand over Tsunade's wrinkled brow. The anti-aging jutsu had faded and the familiar diamond was no longer present on her teacher's forehead. The vibrant blond hair had streaks of grey and the crow's feet at the corner of her eyes were prominent. It was bittersweet to see the crow's feet because it meant that she'd laughed a lot in life regardless of all the heavy losses she'd suffered.

"Oh, Shishou," Sakura whispered. "You've been through so much." She thought of what Tsunade had told her of both Dan and her little brother and how that had motivated her to making sure medics were a part of the four-man cell. At the tender age of twelve Sakura had compared that loss to the loss of Sasuke from Team 7, but as she grew older she realized just how much greater death was than desertion. At least in desertion there remained hope, no matter how faint, of a reconciliation. As Tsunade taught her a medic's responsibility was to stay alive and keep his or her teammates alive. She said if she had given up after the deaths of her lover and her brother that it would have been too selfish. Her words had steeled Sakura's resolve to grow stronger both mentally and physically.

However, none of that bravery compared to what she'd seen Tsunade do after the devastating loss of Jiriaya. The loss of her old teammate and possibly the love of her life broke the strong woman's heart. She fought with everything she had against the threat of Akatsuki and while her life lingered on her consciousness stayed far away perhaps afraid to rejoin the land of the living without Jiriaya.

She looked up to watch the steady rhythmic blip of Tsunade's heart on the EKG monitor secured on the wall. "You must have really loved that pervert," Sakura muttered lightly resting her hand on the back of Tsunade's. It was warm and that was reassuring. "I"m sure you're not surprised by what Danzo did. His Root troops are swarming like cockroaches throughout the village. Kakashi-sensei left and took Naruto with him. Once again, the little Haruno girl got left behind, but don't worry. You taught me to not sit back and let things happen, but to make them happen."

Sakura squeezed Tsunade's hand and then pressed a kiss to her forehead before standing. "I'll make you proud, Tsunade-shishou."

She turned toward the door to take a quick peak down the hallway and make sure the coast was clear for her to leave not really wanting to take to the roofs again if there was an alternative. She'd only pulled the door a few inches when she caused the unfortunate young man who was leaning against it to fall back opening the door completely under his weight.

Shikamaru looked up at her from his position on the floor. "You're troublesome, don't you know?" It seemed like he was in no hurry to pull himself off the floor so Sakura offered him her hand and assisted him to his feet. "I had a feeling you'd come by here first," he said looking past her to Tsunade.

"How did you know that?" she asked closing the door behind him and stepping back into Tsunade's room.

"Sai."

"Do you think she knew?" Sakura asked referring to the truth behind the Uchiha massacre.

"No. I think only Danzo and those decrepit elders knew." He looked thoughtful and rubbed his hand up and down the back of his head in irritation. "The Third knew, but I don't think he passed the knowledge on for his successor as he wasn't expecting to die."

It had only been a week ago that Shizune had discovered the top secret file regarding the order against the Uchiha clan. It was assigned to an elite ANBU officer, known as one Itachi Uchiha, who also served as a double agent between Konoha and the Uchiha where the latter were planning a coup. Shizune had found the file while in Tsunade's old office trying to clean it out of her belongings so that the new Hokage could utilize it. Danzo had graciously given her one week to do so claiming he'd utilize his Root office so as not to disrupt the business of the village.

And it was a twist of fate that a bottle of Tsunade's hidden sake had broken and the liquid fell down a crack behind the bookcase and seemingly disappeared. There she found a hidden crevice in the wall and it contained the file on Konoha's tragic event. She'd told Sakura what she had found and not three days later Danzo had issued the order that Sasuke Uchiha was now an enemy of Konoha and was to be killed on sight. Sakura had naturally told Sai, Team Guy, Team 8, and Team 10 in a private meeting later that night.

"So why are you looking for me?" Sakura asked.

"I just wanted to remind you not to throw your life away for that traitor. You're a valuable member of Konoha. Even though it seems that Konoha's elder council is responsible for the tragedy due to a lack of any decent analysts."

Considering Shikamaru considered himself Konoha's best analyst and many would agree Sakura smiled at the comment. She reached out to clap her hand over his shoulder. "Thank you for the reminder." She pulled her hand away and rolled her shoulders back to loosen the tension that had started to develop in her upper back as nervousness started to set in. "Now, can I leave through the halls or do I need to utilize the roof again?"

Shikamaru sighed dispassionately. "Unfortunately, those troublesome Root are crawling all downstairs. You should use the roof again. And if any problems show up on the administrative side of things I'll take care of them from this end, even though it's a real bother."

She nodded and fought a smile at his melodrama as she headed in the direction of the window.

"Sakura?" Shikamaru called as she was positioned at the window. She looked back at him with a raised brow. "Be careful. Ino will kill me if something happened to you."

"I won't do anything too troublesome," Sakura assured him with a wink before jettisoning herself out the window and hurrying back to her apartment to retrieve her bag and then meet her team.

**OoO**

Sakura found Lee at the front gates of the village. Naturally, he was half-an-hour early and had been waiting. If Lee was anything he was punctual. He was also enthusiastic.

"Sakura-san!" he shouted exuberantly. His teeth were dazzling white, his green body-suit was thankfully hidden under his cloak, and his eyebrows were as bushy as ever. "It is great to see you on this early morn before the power of the youthful sunrise has graced the horizon!"

"Thanks for coming, Lee," Sakura said when he crushed her into a hug. She noticed that both his arms and legs were weighed down with a set of very familiar weights. She'd used them herself before to build up strength and stamina. If Lee kept up his habits he'd be as muscular as Guy in a couple more years.

"No trouble, Sakura-san. You know for you I'd walk around Konoha for ten days on my hands!"

"No need for such a display, Lee. Coming with me on this mission is plenty," she said quickly. Otherwise the overly excitable Taijutsu master would do just what he proclaimed. "Sai spoke with you last night?"

"Yes, and Kiba as well." Lee leaned closer as if to share some highly secret information. "Neji was upset to not be included, but as he had a mission with a couple of other Jounin today he couldn't protest much," Lee confided. He smiled at her with those dazzling teeth again. "Perhaps he fears the power of my seductive arts!"

Sakura was a bit surprised that Neji would care one way or another about her presence or absence, though he was particular about wanting her whenever he was injured. "I guess he does care about Naruto a great deal."

"Of course he does, but he wanted to make sure his favorite medic stays out of harm's way!"

The idea of Neji having any feelings toward her caused her to smile. The proud Hyuga had come a long way since they met in the Chunin exam three years ago.

"Why are you guys waiting around, let's get going!" Kiba said riding out to meet them. The dark maroon of Kiba's facial tattoos seemed more obvious in the pale light and his dark hair looked as if it hadn't seen the business end of a brush in ages, or course knowing Kiba that could just mean that he was still nursing a hang-over from the night before. He rode in on the back of the great white beast that was Akamaru. The Inuzuka clan often utilized their dogs like others would a packhorse making it hard to remember that Akamaru was once a cute little puppy.

'_So impatient,'_ the voice of Itachi whispered in Sakura's right ear. She whirled around looking for the source and saw nothing. It had to have been her imagination. Her mind was probably playing tricks on her because of her weird dream.

"Something wrong, Sakura?" Kiba asked suspiciously looking to her right.

"No, just looking for Sai," she lied smoothly.

'_You have been hanging around Hatake to let the lies flow so easily,'_ the same voice said from the right.

"We know that they're in the land of Iron, but that's it. I'll be depending on you to lead the way, Kiba," she continued as if she'd not just heard Itachi's voice again.

Akamaru was staring intently at that location on her right with his ears pressed flat against his skull.

The sound of Sai leaping onto the ground from the building behind them caught all their attention. Itachi's discombobulated voice was forgotten for the time being. Everyone turned to Kiba and Akamaru, the latter of whom was sniffing.

"You don't need my tracker part for this if they're in Iron. We go west," Kiba said with a fanged grin. "It will take about three days more or less depending on how deep they are in that region."

"All right, then west it is. We'll stop in three hours for our first rest," Sakura said.

"_You should wear the necklace."_

"Good idea," Sai said. She was surprised by his voice since he hardly seemed to be paying attention. His focus seemed to be on his sketchbook where he was rapidly drawing.

"I feel like we should report to someone," Sakura said worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. Sakura was a by-the-books sort of girl and leaving without express permission was too surreal. Her hand went to her pocket and she rubbed the charm of the mysterious necklace between her thumb and index finger pondering Itachi's suggestion.

Sai shrugged. "Lady Tsunade is unconscious, Danzo is now Hokage and is at a meeting far away with the other ninja leaders, and we're going to meet your team leaders Kakashi and Yamato."

"It's not like we're planning anything that would endanger Konoha. Besides, Neji and Shikamaru know," Lee said with a reassuring smile. "I say we're covered. Shikamaru said he'd fill out any troublesome paperwork for you."

"I guess you're right," Sakura said biting back the last bit of nervousness and steeling her resolve. Shikamaru did assure her earlier that he'd handle the administrative parts of the mission should it present a problem. What did it matter if she got in trouble if it meant she could save Naruto's life from foolishly being wasted on Sasuke? Sai was right and it was time she made a choice-preferably the right choice. She owed her life to Naruto many times over.

Sai did a quick jutsu and a black bird flew off the page of his sketchbook. "I did read in a book that it was important that a team leader be confident and without doubt, so I just sent that bird off to Kakashi to let him know we're on our way. It should find him approximately twelve hours before us assuming that we sleep."

"All right, Team Haruno is off!" Kiba stated before taking off into the forest and leading the way for the four-man cell with Akamaru.

"Team Haruno?" Sakura echoed in disbelief.

"That's great Sakura-san! Though, I would have named it Team Youthful Flower Sakura," Lee said with a very toothy grin that made his eyebrows seem bushier than usual.

"Team Haruno is fine," Sakura said with a tight smile. She discretely slipped on the necklace and then she and Lee followed after Kiba in the middle positions while Sai brought up the back. They all wore the long greyish-white cloaks for the winter weather and it was a good thing because the treetops they were flying through with chakra enhanced footfalls were quite cold and the land of Iron tended to have more snow than Konoha this time of year.

And there was a long way to go until they reached their destination.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

Three hours had passed with little conversation before Team Haruno stopped at the designated rest time. They had remained on close guard to ensure there were no run-ins with fellow Leaf shinobi and had been successful in that endeavor. The temperature had risen a few degrees as the mid-morning sun crept higher into the sky, but it was still rather chilly and while it wasn't snowing at the moment the ground and trees had a light dusting of powder.

Sakura had signaled to the others with a short, shrill whistle and they'd taken their break. There was no need to travel at break-neck speeds and with the lower temperatures she knew the importance of frequent breaks for rest and rehydration. As a medic she couldn't condone subjecting her team to needless hazards. And in spite of the look of protest that crossed Kiba's face, he too complied with her order.

"All right guys, we've got fifteen minutes to catch our breath, hydrate, consume some calories, and go to the bathroom," Sakura said when the other three members joined her near the branch she was on. "The cold weather is our enemy when it comes to dehydration."

Kiba looked toward Akamaru. "I suppose he needs a break," he conceded. Sakura glared at him and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "And I am a bit thirsty."

"Good, we'll reconvene at the base of this tree," Sakura said. Sai took off immediately and Kiba went in the opposite direction to take Akamaru out to do his doggy business.

"Sakura-san?"

"Yes, Lee?"

"Would you be adverse to my utilizing this time to do two-hundred pushups?"

"I would be quite adverse to the idea. Drink some water and take a nap."

Lee flashed her another smile. "Yes, sir, Sakura-san!"

Sakura jumped down to the ground and pulled out an energy bar and a canteen from her backpack. Then she set the bag next to the base of a large tree. Lee was taking her advice to heart and had started a quick nap in the branches above Sakura's head. She took a bite out of the peaches and almond granola and washed it down with some water. Her eyes stared out into the distance slightly out of focus as she tried not to think about anything.

That plan quickly ended when the form of Itachi Uchiha stepped directly into her line of sight and he was not in the least bit transparent. She blinked rapidly, but the image didn't dissipate. His long dark hair was tied back at the base of his neck and he wore the black and net ninja gear he usually wore and once again the Akatsuki cloak was absent. She glanced up the tree and saw Lee still snoozing away so she knew she wasn't dreaming this time.

"No dream, Haruno," Itachi said leaning against the tree next to her. "And you might want to keep your voice down to a minimum. You're the only one that will be able to hear me."

"Great, so now I'm being haunted during the day too," Sakura whispered. "I don't understand why you're so focused on me now. Why not two weeks ago? Why not two years ago?"

"I have been trying to manifest myself to you for almost three weeks," Itachi said with a a scowl of frustration marring his typically stoic features. "I've made significant progress in the last two days. And the necklace seems to be helping."

"Three weeks? But, weren't you killed three weeks ago?" Sakura's hand reached for the necklace automatically. "How did the necklace end up in my cloak?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and gave an agitated nod of his head. "At first after my death I was with Sasuke and when my fail-safe to kill Madara failed and he instead started to corrupt Sasuke. He corrupted him by telling him the truth about Konoha giving me the orders for destroying my clan. After that Sasuke now had a new target to seek vengeance upon and I had to find another way to stop him."

She reached out and her hand went right though his form and felt the tree bark with her fingertips behind him, yet the image wasn't disturbed at all. It was as if her hand and arm simply vanished into his body. "Why me, again?" She turned her hand over to see if the movement would disrupt the image, but it did not.

Itachi seemed to shift uncomfortably, but that was preposterous considering he was a ghost and therefore couldn't become uncomfortable. "Would you mind removing your hand?"

Sakura complied with his request and Itachi seemed a bit more relaxed for the gesture.

"Nice cloak, I knew you'd wear it eventually," he said evading the earlier question. Perhaps he trained with Kakashi in the past-he was good at evading questions too. But then again, so was Neji so perhaps it was an acquired Jounin trait. "And I already told you why last night." His answer destroyed her assumption that he was ignoring her question.

"It's warm," she said defensively snuggling into the fabric. "How did you put the necklace into it?"

"I put it there six weeks ago. I followed you back to Konoha after one of your missions and waited until you went to the hospital to break into your apartment. My Akatsuki cloak was rather warm as well. It was a perk benefit given my lung condition. The smallest upper respiratory virus would send me into a week-long coughing fit that would have been awkward during a battle." He folded his arms across his chest and looked her up and down focused on her cloak. "I knew that when winter arrived you'd be utilizing your cloak and eventually you'd find it."

"You should have sought better medical attention," Sakura said. She wanted to ask why he would go through all the trouble to put a necklace in her cloak and then ask her to wear it now, but didn't get a chance. A twig snapped and Kiba and Akamaru entered the rest site. He cast her a wave and Akamaru growled quietly in his throat staring at the spot where Itachi stood. Kiba silenced him with a doggie treat that Akamaru found more interesting than the strange thing happening around Sakura.

"This team will serve you well in finding Team Kakashi, but it won't serve you much purpose against Sasuke."

"Oh?"

"He has no attachments to any of these individuals and I'm afraid that with the fine line he's walking that should one whom he has no attachment to or use for will be eliminated without a second thought. At least for you he might hesitate."

Sakura crushed the package for her granola powerbar. "So he's a murderer now."

"Did you say something, Sakura-san?" Lee asked waking up and stretching his arms behind his back and popping his neck in either direction.

"No, Lee, just thinking out loud. You should get something to eat. We've only about five minutes more to our break."

"Yes, sir!" Lee said jumping down and rummaging through his pack for some sort of trail mix. "This is a particular blend created by Guy sensei. He says it will give you energy for days and will put hair on your chest! Would you like some?" he asked holding the bag out toward Sakura. She could recognize some of the nuts and dried out berries, but there was an odd sour smell that she dared not sample.

Sakura gave him a polite smile and held up her hand in protest. "No, thank you I'd prefer to keep the hair off my chest."

Lee nodded sagely before he started eating and walked off in the direction of Kiba.

"I prefer your chest the way it is too," Itachi said with an expression that some might consider leering.

Sakura looked at him with her nose crinkled. "You are not Itachi. He would never say something like that."

Itachi shrugged. "I'm dead, what can I say? I've been liberated." He arched one of his eyebrows suggestively. "Besides, who's going to believe you when you say you're being haunted by the lecherous ghost of Itachi Uchiha? And you never really knew me, Sakura. How do you know I wasn't always like this?"

"Lecherous? You're a ghost. You can't touch anything," Sakura hissed shoving her hands into the outer pockets of her cloak.

"Not yet, but I am working on it. And I did manage to move your cream last night. And you can see me today. I'd say the genius within me is still hard at work. Who knows what I'll be capable of in a few more days."

The idea was disturbing so Sakura decided to not think of it anymore. She remained silent and stared off into the distance hoping he'd go away.

"To answer your question, Sasuke is not a murderer-yet. I kept a close watch on him during his time with Orochimaru without him being aware of my presence. It is amazing how a single-minded determination can make you so completely blind to what's going on around oneself. But, I digress."

"You certainly do. I would have never pictured you as a rambler."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "As I was saying, Sasuke was careful to never kill anyone during his missions for Sound. And even with his Team Hebi (Snake) or Taka (Hawk) or whatever they're calling themselves now he never allowed anyone to be killed. The problem is that he's lost hope after Madara explained the reason for the Uchiha massacre. Without Madara's interference Sasuke would have returned to Konoha determined to restart the Uchiha line. When someone loses hope they lose their direction and once lost the lines of morality are lost in a hopeless array of grey."

"You're quite the philosopher."

"As you seem to be the only person I can talk to, I find myself quite chatty."

She pushed away from the tree and walked toward her group. "Let's pack it up. We'll stop again in two more hours for a water and bathroom break."

"Such authority in your tone, Ms Haruno," Itachi said standing behind her with his voice in her ear once again. And while Sakura knew he was insubstantial it didn't stop the chill that took over her body from where his form stood positioned.

Once more in the trees, but with this time Lee in the back and Sai beside her, Sakura's team ran on to their destination.

"Have you decided what you'll say to Naruto to stop his search for Sasuke?" Sai asked glancing over toward her.

Sakura grit her teeth. She actually hadn't figured that part out yet thanks to the distraction of Itachi Uchiha's sudden appearance in her life. She thought about confessing to Naruto that she loved him and didn't want to lose him. And the problem was she couldn't think of anything else. And it wouldn't be a lie. She did love him, but not in a romantic way. After the way Sasuke broke her pre-teenager heart she really didn't want to have much to do with that sort of relationship with anyone. Hopefully, an idea would come to her sometime in the next couple of days. "I'm still working on it."

**OoO**

It was early evening and they'd covered the first third of the trip without incident and at a better pace than Sakura had anticipated. After the first break she'd seen no other signs of Itachi and felt somewhat reassured by his absence.

Up ahead Kiba held up a hand to signal for them to stop. At that time Sakura did regret not having Neji along with his Byakugan. Though perhaps Hinata would have been a better choice. Maybe she could have spoken of her undying love to Naruto. Sakura shook her head mentally at the thought. Naruto was still too dense to pick up on the shy Hyuga's feelings or maybe he understood perfectly and didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"It's just a troop of bandits," Itachi said from the branch above her causing her to jump slightly. Apparently, he was still there. "They shouldn't impede your journey and they won't notice you." Sakura tilted her head back and looked up at him. His gaze was dark and focused in the distance. "I'd say they're about five kilometers from here. No bother, unless of course you want to rescue the elderly man and his granddaughter that they took hostage." He looked back down at her as if to say such a thing really wasn't her team's business. "I've nothing better to do if you want me to spy for you and help your team defeat them."

"You're good at that, aren't you?" Sakura quipped referring to his spying.

Sai gave Sakura a queer look. "Are you talking to Kiba?"

Sakura cleared her throat. "There's bandits about five kilometers from here. They're not really a hindrance to our mission, but they have an elderly man and his granddaughter as hostages."

"How do you know this?" Sai asked.

Sakura tapped her head. "We all have our special gifts."

"Did you implant the Byakugan into your visual system without the obvious signs of bulging chakra vessels around the eyes?"

"No," Sakura said.

Lee and Kiba moved to a pair of branches next to them.

"What do you want to do, Sakura?" Kiba asked. He sniffed the air. "I think you're about right. About five kilometers from here there seems to be a group of seven, though whether they're bandits or hostages I can't tell you. But they don't seem to be ninjas. They're too sloppy."

Akamaru woofed. "That's right, Akamaru," Kiba said petting his dog's head. "And too smelly. Ninjas know better than to travel unbathed. You can smell them," he paused with a grin spreading over his lips, "five kilometers away."

"We are ninjas of the Hidden Leaf and we're less than a day from our village. This forest is ours and it is our duty to protect the innocent. If it really is a troop of bandits down there who knows the repercussions that will develop if we allow them to travel through and do whatever nefarious things they have planned," Sakura said.

Rock Lee pumped his fist into the air. "That's right! Let the Power of Youth, Team Haruno put an end to their nefarious ways!"

"And this is part of the difference between you and Sasuke. He would have carried along on his self-proclaimed mission whereas you or Naruto would help others though there is nothing to be gained for yourself. That's why he left Konoha. If he had stayed he would be distracted from his revenge," Itachi said.

Sakura glanced up at him. He sure was talkative.

He shrugged with a smirk. "Remember, you're the only one that can hear me. Forgive me if it makes me feel a bit more alive."

Sai looked up also and frowned with his eyes squinting into the distance. "What are you looking at, Sakura?"

"Just thinking," Sakura said focusing on her teammates. "Sai, make some shadow clones and send them out to scout first. Lee and I will attack from the east, Kiba and Akamaru go in from the north, and Sai I want you to take the west. We'll triangulate knock out the bandits, tie them up, free the hostages, and then send a couple of clones to the nearest village to contact the authorities. Everybody got it?" she asked and received three affirmative nods and a quiet woof from Akamaru. "Okay, break!" she said and they took off in different directions.

As Sakura and Lee approached she could hear Sai's clone meeting up with the bandits and asking them if they knew where he could find a nearby Ramen stand. There were about five bandits all on horses with a wagon drawn by another pair of horses. It was quite possible that there could be two hostages inside of it. The men didn't seem to appreciate Sai's appearance and it didn't take long before they tried to attack him.

Sakura approached a large tree-perhaps several hundreds of years old given its size.

"Really? You're going to destroy this tree? Isn't that a bit destructive?" Itachi criticized materializing at her side.

"It's been struck by lightning and will soon serve as a hazard. The tree is already dead," Sakura explained quietly through gritted teeth as she increased her chakra and pulled the tree from the ground roots and all. She looked to her side to see Lee raise his hand and signal her.

"Not even breaking a sweat," Itachi said impressed watching her. Sakura toppled the tree across the trail and the bandits cried out at sight of a huge tree almost crushing them.

Team Haruno converged on the bandits and made short work of the men. It didn't hurt that their weapons were crude farming tools and rusted swords. The greatest thing they had to fear was a case of Tetanus.

"Why are you taking them hostage?" Sakura demanded of the apparent leader after they were properly secured conveniently enough by the same bindings they had used on their kidnapped victims. The hostages unfortunately spoke a foreign language that they didn't understand and couldn't explain things.

"Why should I tell you, pink?" the gap-toothed leader said spitting in her direction.

Sakura narrowed her eyes after avoiding the wet projectile. "Because I have the ability to sever every nerve in your body so that you can never move a muscle but you'll feel the electric fire of pain through every neuron. And no one will be able to hear you scream."

His eyes widened in fear before he laughed. "Right, I'll believe that when I see it, pink."

"Since you asked so nicely," Sakura said with a saccharin smile. A green glow began to come from her hands and she used her finger to trace along his arm from brachial nerve down to the medial nerve. The man cried out in a scream of agony and she placed her hand over his throat severing his vocal chords. "Would you like to talk now?"

He nodded his head vigorously and Sakura worked to re-establish the neuronal network of his arm and to turn off the pain receptors she had put into overdrive. She looked over at Sai. "Now, is there something I'm forgetting?"

"Voice," Sai answered.

"Yes, of course," Sakura said focusing on the man's vocal chords and repairing the damage she'd done.

"It was just for some ransom money. There's no need for ninjas to become involved," he croaked.

"That's where we disagree. Who are they that you'd think their abduction would be worthwhile?"

"We're on the brink of war lady. Any job is worthwhile," he said with a growl.

"You can reflect on the worthiness of it from jail," Sakura said with a smile.

"Sakura-san?" Lee called from behind the wagon. "If we want to set up camp here they have plenty of supplies."

"Possibly," Sakura answered. She gestured for Sai to join her at the edge of the small clearing out of earshot. "We could pitch camp here and send a couple of clones to the nearest village to alert the authorities. Or we could take them into the village."

"It might be a waste of energy to go to the village if it isn't on the way to Iron. I wouldn't trust the bandits to say where they are coming from. If the hostages could communicate we could make a better decision," Sai reasoned glancing back toward the assemblage.

"Unless we get a good night's rest in a hotel instead of a few hours in the upper boughs of a tree or on the cold ground," Sakura said thoughtfully. "You and I can make decent clones, but even Naruto's clones can be easily dispatched by a skilled ninja."

Sai rubbed his chin and looked past her toward the old man and young girl. "Let's try the hostages again," he suggested.

Sakura returned to the hostages with a friendly smile. And the old man babbled uncomprehendingly but with a large, grateful smile. At least one thing was clear, he was glad Team Haruno had intervened. The blond girl at his side appeared no older than eight years of age.

"Hello, my name is Sakura. Do you understand anything I'm saying?"

"Dank u. Uw acties worden gewaardeerd. Zonder u wij worden verloren!" the old man said shaking his head and grinning broadly. "Keur mijn gastvrijheid en verblijf bij mijn herberg goed."

"Did you understand that?" Kiba asked moving to stand beside Sakura. He scratching the back of his head and shaking his head in confusion. "It sounds like gibberish to me."

Sakura rubbed her forehead. "I have no idea."

"_It's Dutch," _Itachi's voice said. _"Try asking the girl. You can see from her eyes she understands you._

Sakura took his advice and smiled brightly at the pretty blond girl. "Do you understand me?"

The girl looked up at the older man. "Mag ik aan haar spreken?" He nodded his head in the affirmative and the girl turned her attention back to Sakura. "My grandfather is very happy for what you have done for us. He says that if you would accept his hospitality he'd like to offer you and your friends a room at his Inn if you'd be so kind as to lead us back to the village."

"So you understand everything that's been going on?" Sakura asked the girl bending down on one knee to put herself eye-level with the child. She nodded in answer. "Then why didn't you say anything earlier when we were asking you questions?"

"Grandfather said to wait and see where your motives lay."

"I see. Can you tell me why these men took you and your grandfather captive?"

The girl glared at the secured bandits and stuck her tongue out at the main one with the gap-toothed smile. "They didn't pay their bill. They say that foreigners don't deserve their hard-earned money. And when grandfather argued with them one of them found me hiding under the table, I like to play hide-and-go-seek there with my cousin, and said to come with them peacefully or else."

"You must have been very brave," Sakura said. "What's your name?"

"I'm Clara and they have nice horses!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, yes they do, Clara. Do you think your grandfather could tell us how to get back to your village?"

"I can tell you that!" The blond girl with blue eyes that looked so much like Ino smiled broadly. "It's only ten kilometers that way," she said pointing her thumb behind her back. "Oh, and grandfather's name is Arnold."

Sakura looked toward Kiba. "What do you think of the time frame?"

He looked thoughtfully in the direction the girl indicated. "Give me a second to confirm," he said motioning for Akamaru and heading toward that direction. He returned two minutes later. "That's the way they came from, it's pretty obvious with the horsehoof prints and the wagon wheels. They wouldn't have gotten much further with the wagon anyway. This land isn't made for wagons."

"All right, Clara, tell your grandfather we'd be glad to escort you back to the village and deliver these men to the authorities. All we ask is room and board for the night," Sakura said. She waited while Clara translated for her grandfather and he nodded his head again and gave Sakura a grateful look.

Sakura turned toward her team. "All right, lets get these bandits into the back of the wagon. We'll add a couple more horses to the front of it to pull the extra weight and ride back on the other three ourselves. Kiba, I assume you'll utilize Akamaru?"

"I wouldn't want to offend him," Kiba said giving his dog an affectionate rub of the ears.

Lee and Sai loaded up the bandits in the back of the wagon. Kiba and Sakura worked to secure another pair of horses to the front of the wagon. Arnold and Clara sat at the front of the wagon with the reigns to their horse team.

"Has any of you ever ridden a horse?" Kiba asked.

"Once, on a trail," Sakura answered. Sai looked back at him blankly.

"I have ridden a horse three times," Lee answered promptly. "Have no fear Sakura-san, Sai, for if you have problems I will help you!"

"Oh, this should be good. Try not to hurt yourselves," Kiba said with a laugh. He then brushed his hands together and grinned. "This was a nice distraction. I've been on so many scouting missions with my team that it's been a while since I've gotten to really get my claws into any action. Follow me and don't let the horses knock you off."

Itachi cleared his throat and Sakura glanced in his direction, her hands were tightly gripped in her horse's mane and she tried to be gentle yet firm with her knees against its flanks. "I'm glad I never faced you in a real fight."

Lee joined Sakura behind the wagon while Sai tried to keep up with the wagon on the side. "Sakura-san, I had no idea you could do that," Lee said sounding impressed. "Even I feared the power of your glorious youth!"

"A wise ninja learns from their enemies," Sakura said cryptically.

"I thought it seemed like a move Kabuto might use," Itachi said beside her. "I'm impressed. You might be a match for Sasuke after all."

The horse kept trying to turn to the right and Sakura was fighting the stubborn creature and redirecting it in the proper direction. Itachi's voice laugh rang eerily in her ears. "Though your skills with horses is decidedly lacking."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

The authorities were easy to find as they'd been following the bandit's trail from the start of the botched kidnapping and Team Haruno met them half-way along the painfully obvious trail the bandits had left. Somewhere along the way the figure of Itachi had disappeared, but she tried not to worry about her imaginary former enemy. The police had been pleased that the culprits had been apprehended without any casualties and that the owner to the most prominent Inn had been safely returned alongside his granddaughter. The horses and wagon belonged to the bandits so the police confiscated them as well and hauled them away. Sakura couldn't say she was sad to see her temperamental horse gone. The idea of conserving energy by riding was negated by the saddle-sores she was suffering.

That discomfort was quickly forgotten once she caught sight of The Dutchman's Inn, as the Inn was called. It was without doubt the nicest Inn she'd ever stayed. However, that wasn't too hard to believe since mission funds were notoriously miserly. The generous Dutchman provided her team with a most luxurious suite that included two bedrooms, a huge common room complete with 52" plasma television, two bathrooms, and a fully-stocked kitchen.

Naturally, first thing upon arriving to the suite Kiba went straight for the complimentary liquor bar.

"Kiba, we're on a mission and I need you to be in full control of your mental facilities," Sakura said taking the bottle of sake out of his hands before he could open it and indulge himself.

"Oh come on, Sakura! I got us around just fine today nursing a pretty hefty hangover. As a matter of fact, I dare say that alcohol improves my mental facilities. A little sake won't hurt," Kiba complained making a vain attempt to take back the bottle, but Sakura held it out of reach. "And if it does, you're the best medic in all of Konoha and you can fix me!"

"Kiba," Sakura said in a warning tone. "Don't make me flush it down the sink. And even a blind man could have followed that ridiculously obvious trail."

Akamaru moved hesitantly into the kitchen area and then nuzzled against Kiba leg and whimpered. "Okay, fine, don't do anything drastic," he said giving his dog an affectionate rub between the shoulders.

"This place is amazing," Lee said with a whistle of appreciation. He spun in a circle in the middle of the den with his arms spread wide. "The power of beauty here is too overwhelming for me to express it's wonder."

"There are two rooms," Sai pointed out. He took his pack and picked up Sakura's from the floor and brought them into the first room on the right.

"What are you doing?" Lee asked.

"The hag and I will share a room," Sai said.

"You can't call Sakura-san a hag! She is our esteemed team leader and she should get to choose where she wants to sleep," Lee said with arms folded across his chest ready for a standoff.

"That's fine, Lee. Sai and I have shared before," Sakura said. After going on missions with the outrageously loud snorer that was Naruto she wasn't about to risk going to sleep with one of the unknowns of Lee or Kiba. She knew that Sai was a silent sleeper. "Clara said we could help ourselves to anything in the kitchen or they could have something cooked and delivered for us. What do you guys want?"

Kiba opened the refrigerator and peered inside. He moved about several items within causing bottles to clink together noisily before looking back toward Sakura. "Unless you're the one planning on cooking, I'd rather have something delivered," Kiba said. "I wouldn't know what to do with half the things in here." He pulled out a bottle of ketchup. "This is the only thing I recognize."

"Not a good idea," Sai interjected. "We'll all be suffering intestinal illness if you trust Sakura to procure us a meal."

Sakura was about to protest that she could cook quite well, but realized that she had no desire to waste precious energy cooking a meal for three men with questionable tastes. And aside from that she'd be roughing it on the journey plenty of times with a campfire and whatever wild animals and edible foliage she'd be able to find. Why waste the opportunity of having someone else do the work for her? "Let's just order something from the kitchen, all right?"

**OoO**

Sakura buried herself under the luxurious blood-red sheets of the King-sized bed. The sheets had to have been at least 400 thread count Egyptian cotton and it felt like silk against her sensitive skin recently warmed by a most relaxing shower. Her hair was still a bit damp, but she was so tired she frankly didn't care.

It had been a remarkable twist of fate that brought her team across the owner of this magnificent Inn and if it mean they'd have a few hour delay in meeting the wayward members of Team 7 it was completely worth it. They'd make up those hours easily after being so refreshed. She snuggled against her pillow comfortably and watched as Sai slipped into the other side of the bed, seemingly millions of miles away given the huge enormity of the bed. Lee was still upset that she would be sharing a room with Sai, but had been properly cajoled when they assured him the door would be wide-open should he need to protect Sakura's honor. As if she needed any help in that department! She didn't think she needed to worry about her honor when it came to Sai. He still called her Ugly half the time. Though, she suspected now it had become a term of endearment for her socially awkward teammate.

It didn't take long before the oblivion of sleep stole away the last of Sakura's thoughts.

That oblivion was quickly disrupted by a landscape reminiscent of the old training grounds of Konoha where she and Naruto had passed Kakashi's bell test the second time six months ago. There were three logs propped in the middle of the clearing and a circle of thick trees on the perimeter. And one Itachi Uchiha standing center stage wearing the green-vested uniform of a Jounin with his hair tied back in his typical low ponytail and unpainted fingernails.

"Do you think that's appropriate?" Sakura asked. He certainly looked as dashing as Neji Hyuga in his uniform, but she was so used to seeing him in the black and red colors of the Akatsuki it simply didn't seem right.

"I had wondered what it would be like if we'd met under different circumstances." Itachi lifted up his right hand and pronated and supinated his arm with close inspection examining the Konoha uniform. "It has been a long time since I've worn anything but black."

"It is certainly an improvement." She glanced down at her own apparel and was somewhat relieved to see the familiar red uniform she'd adopted complete with her black gloves.

"While the red ensemble is quite fashionable on you it is hardly practical on a field exercise," Itachi said approaching her. "Red is impossible to camouflage. Green is ideal for forests and black for shadows and night." He placed his hand lightly on her shoulder and her costume was no longer red, but black and instead of the white Haruno circle on the back it now contained an Uchiha fan.

"Don't you think that's a bit inappropriate?"

Itachi snorted and the fan metamophed into the familiar Haruno family circle.

"Your skills as a medic are impressive, your monstrous strength is quite frankly monstrous, and your intelligence is nothing to scoff at," Itachi said as he started to circle around her. Sakura turned as he turned, keeping them facing front-to-front throughout his circumferential inspection. "However, you've not been properly trained. Luckily, your lack of ability to ride a horse is inconsequential. Your taijutsu is passable if you're not facing a particularly skilled ninja, but you need to be able to survive on your own and that will require perfecting your natural abilities."

"We're trained to fight as a team. The job of the medic is to keep that team alive and not engage in the combat," Sakura recited somewhat mechanically.

"For what I need you to do you need to be an efficient team of one."

"And how am I supposed to overcome my lack of training?"

Itachi looked her up and down critically. "I suppose it's not your fault. Without imminent war there was no need to push your generation, not with perfectly capable Jounin at the ready. You have a natural gift for genjutsu but it hasn't been properly exploited. I will teach you."

Sakura wasn't foolish enough to pass up any opportunity to train under a great ninja, however she couldn't help but feel insulted to have her short-comings pointed out to her by someone who barely knew her. "Is that why we're on a dreamscape of training grounds? I'm supposed to be able to apply whatever lessons I learn at night in the real world? I could barely remember my dream about you last night."

Itachi pulled out three ninja stars seemingly out of nowhere and brandished them between the fingers of his left hand. "If you'll notice you're in my dreamscape and not in your lavender fields."

"Hard not to notice," Sakura said eyeing the throwing stars warily and anticipating an attack.

"I found a way to make your unconscious mind work in way that I can manipulate by using the Sharingan."

"And that means?"

"It means, you'll remember everything from these dream lessons and since I can manipulate time in this reality you could learn several days' worth of knowledge in a few hours." His ebony eyes bled crimson and the familiar comas of the Sharingan began to spin at a sedate pace.

Seeing the Sharingan alone wasn't enough to worry Sakura, for she'd seen Kakashi-sensei's many times. She also remembered seeing Sasuke's as adolescents and it was a familiar sight. However, she'd had her teammates be on the receiving end of Itachi's deadly gaze and had very carefully avoided it in their encounters. But this time, being locked in Itachi Uchiha's gaze made her whole body tense and she vividly remembered Kakashi's condition after he'd last fought the Uchiha and the days of torture he'd received in only a few moments of time. "It sounds like I'll be waking up mentally exhausted. The point of sleep is to recover both mentally and physically."

"You will be fresh as a daisy," Itachi assured her before he tossed the stars in her direction-only instead of three they seemed to have multiplied into thirty. "Break the illusion!"

The order was much easier said than done. Sakura moved to evade the projectiles while holding up her hand in the classic sign taught in the Konoha Academy Ninja Handbook and issued forth the word, "Release," to dissolve the genjutsu. However, instead of the stars vanishing they morphed into thirty black ravens. As a feeling of sheer panic overwhelmed her senses Sakura ducked down and covered her head from the assault. If worse came to worse she could heal herself.

The birds didn't move to attack her and instead they began to circle her patiently.

"The point of this exercise is not to duck and hide," Itachi chastised crouching next to her and lifting her arm away from her face. His facial expression was bland, but Sakura could see a glint of amusement in his eyes and it irritated her.

"You already said that I was ill-trained," Sakura said through gritted teeth. "Perhaps you could tell me how to defend instead of attacking me and proving my ineptitude."

"Proving your ineptitude was never my intention," he answered keeping a hold of Sakura's arm and forcing her to her feet. "The first part of that lesson was to gage your instinct. Self-preservation is natural and considering that you're weaponless and there is no convenient scenery to hide behind I am not disappointed in your actions. Your method of releasing the genjutsu was classic textbook procedure."

"And the problem with textbook?"

"When you're facing an Uchiha who has memorized every ninja textbook they ever read with the power of their Sharingan you're at a marked disadvantage. To beat an Uchiha you must be unpredictable and unconventional." Itachi abruptly released her arm as if he had just realized he was still holding it. "That is why Naruto and Sasuke made such great rivals for one another."

"How am I supposed to break the genjutsu then?"

"Tell me this, what is another way you know to stop an illusion once you're trapped in it?" He folded his arms over his chest and gazed down at her cooly and patiently. Sakura realized at that moment than in all their encounters prior to Itachi's death that had been exactly his demeanor-patient.

She could be patient, but it seemed that impatience was also one of her and Naruto's banes whenever emotions were involved and Sasuke would certainly be an emotional reunion. "Either a teammate can pull you out of it physically or you can induce pain in yourself like with a kunai to the thigh."

"That isn't in the textbooks. Where did you learn that? Your Hatake no doubt. You are at a great advantage to have had him as your teacher. He is without a doubt the most skilled and powerful shinobi in all of Leaf."

"How did you break out of genjutsu?"

"My lung disease did give me an advantage. I was always in a state of constant agony so that helped my remain grounded whenever Father would train me. It's why Madara was never able to warp me to his will."

"Are you suggesting I contract some sort of painful injury to keep my mind conscious to reality?" Even as she asked the question, Sakura knew she had the solution. With her skills at a medical ninja she knew exactly how to stimulate the body's response to injury and pain. She could stimulate her own pain receptors without there actually being an injury.

"I see you've already come up with your solution," Itachi said with a faint smile.

"I could stimulate my pain receptors in a certain pressure point that won't impede my mobility and have the same effect but without sustaining any actual injury," Sakura said explaining her idea. She looked down at herself contemplating which pressure point might be the best to utilize. It would need to be an easy to reach location so that her opponent wouldn't notice the action. One in the neck would be too distracting. The upper thigh or elbow might be the best location.

"It's a good idea assuming your chakra levels are high enough to concentrate on such a task." He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "There may be a solution for such an incident, but I'll need to think more on it."

One of the ravens swept out of the sky and landed on Sakura's shoulder. It nuzzled against her hair and cooed pleasantly. "Why do you use birds?" she asked reaching up to rub her fingers over the bird's smooth feathers no longer worried that it would attack.

"They are my familiars."

"Is it a clan familiar?"

"No. The Uchiha clan familiars are ninja cats actually. I wanted to find a creature that wanted nothing to do with cats. Your Hatake has the ninja dogs so I decided to see if there was such a thing as a bird familiar."

"Where are they now?"

Itachi shrugged-a strange movement for the confident man. "Perhaps they returned to their home or perhaps they are guarding my body."

"And where is your body?"

"These questions are irrelevant to your training, Sakura. Focus." The one Itachi then became twelve.

Sakura decided to try the pressure point at her hip and then set off to defeat any genjutsu Itachi or his dopplegangers sent her way.

**OoO**

Itachi and Sakura sat on the ground exhausted with their backs resting against the middle log in the field with their legs laying out in front of them. "So, you're sharing a bed with Sai? Have you ever noticed how his looks favor my little brother's?"

"I never noticed," Sakura said with her eyes closed in her most blasé voice possible. As soon as Itachi made the comment she couldn't help but remember the little fantasy scenario Konohamaru had created for her that involved Sasuke and Sai in a most compromised position with one another. Her cheeks burned at the memory. But then, she was just fifteen at the time and was much more mature now.

"I find that hard to believe." Itachi crossed his legs at the ankle and turned toward Sakura. "Why are you blushing?"

"Shut up," Sakura said looking away.

Itachi sighed and Sakura turned back toward him. He'd closed his eyes and his face looked very tired. "How old are you, Sakura?"

Sakura was not expecting that question. Surely, Itachi knew how old she was since he seemed to know everything else. "I'll be seventeen next month."

He nodded. "I was your age when I annihilated my clan. My girlfriend had been excitedly planning my birthday party. She had the invitations sitting on her desk when I killed her."

"Why are you telling me this?"

He opened his eyes and took her hand and traced his fingers over the lines in her palm. "I spoke with Naruto a week before I faced Sasuke. He is Konoha's future. He's the son of the Fourth-who was the greatest leader Konoha ever had. Things would have been different if he had been the Hokage at the time. He'd have fought for what was right no matter what the opposition. Minato had hope, passion, heart, and strength. The Third had become jaded from the wars and made foolish decisions-my clan's destruction being one of them. I wanted to make clear to Naruto that it may become necessary to destroy his 'brother.' Sakura," he said looking her in the eye. "It may be necessary for you to destroy Sasuke."

Sakura pulled her hand away and cleared her throat feeling uncomfortable in the familiar position with Itachi. "I thought you were training me so that I can save him."

"I am. But, it may become necessary to save him from himself." He looked away and stared off into the distance. "Shinobi life is about sacrifice for the greater good."

"Is that what you told yourself after you killed your family?"

"I've sacrificed everything for Konoha, Sakura." He looked back at her and took a hold of her chin and pulled her face toward his and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Don't make my sacrifice for nothing."

Sakura had intended to push Itachi hard in the chest and then punch him in the chin for taking such liberties. She didn't have the opportunity because he and the training ground had vanished and she was being shaken awake. Her eyes snapped open and she saw Sai staring down at her curiously.

"Wake up, Ugly. We need to head out."

Sakura shoved Sai away and he stumbled back into the wall. "Stop calling me that," she mumbled sitting up fighting off the disorientation of being ripped out so violently from her dream. Certainly, she didn't shove him because she was upset to end her fantasy with Itachi Uchiha.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

Well rested and well fed, Team Haruno made excellent time back on the path toward Iron. It was reaffirming to to see that their actions of helping the Innkeeper and his granddaughter had such gainful rewards-luxury inn and great food. They had needed the extra energy to navigate through the moderate snowfall. Once more, Kiba was leading the group followed by Sakura, then Sai, and then Lee. The ghost of Itachi was absent, but Sakura tried to ignore the discomfort she felt by his loss.

The weight of the necklace was a constant reminder that the dead Uchiha was more than a figment of Sakura's imagination. When she had woken up that morning she could clearly remember everything she'd learned during their training session. And while her skills at genjutsu had an excellent practice run it didn't help her figure out what better to say to Naruto when she saw him next. Nor did it help her much should she have to follow through with the backup plan of taking care of Sasuke herself. However, if he was becoming more insane day-by-day perhaps she'd be able to compete with him on the crazy scale when she explained she was being tutored by the spirit of his dead older brother.

Sakura focused instead on Kiba's back. She could see the tell-tale sign of the bottle of sake he'd stashed in his pack. After she forbad him from indulging in any alcohol the night before he then tried to hide the bottle when she wasn't looking this morning. It wasn't easy to hide alcohol from the apprentice of the Fifth Hokage. Thoughts of revenge danced through Sakura's head. A memory of Truth or Dare played between her, Ino, Hinata, and Tenten on Sakura's fifteenth birthday slumber party came to mind. At one point Hinata revealed that Kiba was incredibly fearful of lizards. Sakura's gaze swept toward Sai and an idea of revenge quickly set root.

She caught the eye of her teammate and he moved to her side.

"What is it, Ugly?" he asked in a quiet voice as they continued with their pace.

A few months before Sakura, Naruto, Sai, and Yamato had gone on a mission to protect the granddaughter of some famous ninja whom was entrusted with a forbidden technique. Sakura spent most of the time with the older retainer nursing him back to health, but Naruto had in vivid detail described how they'd convinced the girl to travel with them. "Do you remember when we were escorting that stubborn blond girl and she only agreed to allow Naruto to protect her from falling slugs?"

"Yes. You want me to create ink slugs?" Sai asked reaching for his ever present notebook and drawing pen. "For what purpose?"

"Not slugs," Sakura said taking hold of Sai's shoulder and pulling him with her against the tree trunk for a moment to whisper in his ear. "I want you to make lizards fall out of the trees onto Kiba. He has this irrational fear about them and I want him to regret his taking alcohol even after I had forbidden it."

"Hey!" Lee shouted. "What are you doing to Sakura-san?" he said pointing an accusing finger at Sai.

"It's all right, Lee," Sakura said stepping around Sai. "I lost my balance and Sai caught me before I fell. Try to keep your voice down."

"Oh." Lee's angry expression melted away only to be replaced by an excited one. He pumped his fist into the air and flashed his dazzling nice-guy smile. "The power of youth shines strong in Sai!" he whispered animatedly.

Sai merely looked at Lee with a blank expression.

Kiba stood staring back at them all from several hundreds of yards ahead with an annoyed expression that was mirrored by Akamaru. When they faced him he started off again in the lead.

Ten minutes passed while they continued on their way. Sai looked over at Sakura and she signaled for him to start his task. He leapt up to the branches a few feet above Sakura and started to scribble. He'd move closer to Kiba, pause, create more sketches, and then do the same. After he seemed to fill several pages he did a series of hand signals and suddenly fifty lizards fell from the branches directly above Kiba.

Kiba screamed a very high-pitched scream and moved to cover his head with his arms. When the black lizards seemed to continue to swarm around him he pulled out a kunai and started hacking at the ink creatures. He barely maintained his balance on the tree branch and it was becoming more and more precarious as he battled the creatures.

"Kiba!" Lee called coming to his friend's aid and doing several spinning kicks and chops.

Sai leapt back down and landed next to Sakura on her branch. "Should we intervene?"

There was a loud crack as Lee's fist connected with the last of the ink lizards that was consequently on Kiba's pack and the bottle of sake shattered.

"I think they have things under control," Sakura said moving closer.

Kiba looked back toward Sakura with a sheepish expression. "Sorry about that, guys. I have this thing about lizards, and..."

"Have no fear when your team is here!" Lee exclaimed show-casing his biceps in what he seemed to consider a heroic pose.

"Your pack is all wet," Sakura said as the smell of alcohol reached her nose.

"Right, I don't know how that got there," Kiba said with a flash of teeth. He brushed off some of the black ink stains from his arm. "This is the weirdest blood. It almost smells like..." he looked over toward Sai and his expression hardened. "Ink."

Sai did a few signs and the ink stains over Lee and Kiba seemingly evaporated. "Just following orders."

"Next time, you should do the same," Sakura said in a warning tone.

**OoO**

Kiba was still a bit anxious since the lizard incidence, but he was focused on the task of leading with a stronger resolve as a result. He held up his hand to stop his teammates. Sakura landed on the branch next to him.

"What do you sense?" Sakura asked. She half expected to have Itachi answer her, but he'd been strangely absence all day. It worried her that he wasn't there, not that she enjoyed being haunted by her former enemy or anything.

"That weird guy that worked with Orochimaru is that way," Kiba said gesturing ahead of them and toward the ground.

"Is he alone?" Sakura asked. She looked in the direction Kiba indicated but couldn't see anyone and unlike the Copy Ninja and Kiba she lacked a keen sense of smell. It would make sense that she not be able to detect Kabuto considering he was an expert at masking his chakra.

"Yeah, but he smells funny. He smells a bit like the snake, but not," Kiba explained.

"What do you want to do, Sakura-san?" Lee asked from behind.

"Sai, send a field mouse to scout out the situation," Sakura ordered. Her teammate took out a scroll and quickly released one of his favorite spies. "We observe," Sakura said addressing Lee's question.

They moved out of the tree and onto the ground closer to Kabuto. If they needed to engage against the powerful medical ninja Sakura felt that given their superior numbers they would stand a good chance, but she preferred to avoid any unnecessary fighting. Her mission did not include crossing paths with one of the men responsible for Sasuke defecting from Konoha in the first place.

It didn't take long for the spy mouse to come back. Sai crouched low to communicate with the paint creature. He looked up at Sakura with a blank expression. "It seems that he is waiting for us."

"How did your mouse find that out?"

"Kabuto told him."

"I see. Then I suppose we might as well see what he wants." Sakura started toward the dangerous white-haired, spectacled man. Last time Naruto encountered him he'd been nothing but helpful. Perhaps he was on another one of his helpful missions. They were both medical ninjas, maybe he wanted to show her something? Right. And maybe Naruto didn't really care about becoming the Hokage.

There he was, waiting for them in the middle of a small clearing in the forest. There was a light powdering of snow covering the ground and bushes. Kabuto held a maroon book against his chest and was staring eagerly toward them as they approached. He wore a long cloak that kept most of his skin hidden, but Sakura was aware that he'd absorbed parts of the snake that was his boss. How much was left of the malicious yet brilliant medic she'd met?

"Ah, Sakura-chan! I was just on my way to Konoha to find you!" Kabuto exclaimed with a broad smile. He reached up to adjust the center of his glasses over his nose. "Finding your strange teammate's little mouse was a nice surprise."

"I don't think you'd be very welcome in Konoha considering the destruction Sound visited upon us a few years ago." Sakura stopped a few feet in front of him leaving enough room for a well-placed smashing punch to the ground should the need arise. Sai was next to her while Lee and Kiba were out of sight keeping a close eye on whatever might develop.

"Oh never mind that. I have been thinking that it was quite rude of me to give Naruto-kun a gift and not you. After all you're just as important to stopping Sasuke-kun as him." His eyes misted over. "Can you believe he tried to kill Master Orochimaru?" The tears vanished and another smile spread across his lips as he pulled the cloak away from his neck to reveal the pale reptilian skin that had started to replace his own like a greedy parasite, his eyes now had a distinct snake-like pupil and a yellow tint. "He's not dead though! He's alive though me!"

"That's great, Kabuto," Sakura said, unsure of the development of the conversation. Should she and her team capture and detain Kabuto? If Orochimaru was somehow taking possession of the nin then he would certainly be a future threat to Konoha, however, right now he didn't seem particularly threatening. Crazy, but not threatening.

"So, I have this," Kabuto continued holding out the battered looking journal he'd been clutching towards her. "It's my notes on various medical procedures. You'll never find another book like this one in any medical library."

"What sort of procedures?" Sakura asked accepting the book warily. To her right, Sai tensed considerably. He relaxed when nothing seemed to happen when she held the book. Was he expecting it to explode? That wasn't Kabuto's style. And if he'd laced it in poison it would probably be ineffective against her. She'd become a bit of a poisons expert herself and had been inoculated against all the known ones.

Kabuto sniffled and rubbed his finger under his eye. "Alas, I was never able to have an apprentice to teach my medicinal arts. Working for my master allowed no time for such dalliances. I admit some jealousy towards your Master Tsunade-whom Master Orochimaru respected- for having such an apt pupil. Perhaps you won't think it too forward that I should like to divulge some of my knowledge toward one whom I view as a worthy medical ninja."

"It's very kind of you," Sakura said unsure of what else to say. It was such a small journal and yet she worried about how much pain and suffering went into Kabuto's research. How many had died for his experiments in the discovering of his knowledge? Some things were best left unasked.

Another smile spread across Kabuto's features and he backed away. "Then I'll be off. I have places to go and I believe you're right about Konoha not welcoming me. My master and I still have much to do, much much to do," he rambled. "Oh, and Sakura-chan?" he said looking over his shoulder toward her. "Do try and stay away from Madara-sama. He's a scary man."

Sakura watched as the strange man continued to walk away from her team. Kiba stood on her left with Akamaru in front of him ready to race toward the Sound nin in attack. "Are we just going to let him walk away?" Kiba asked.

"We haven't time for any other unnecessary delays. He's a lost man and right now Konoha has more pressing matters than the detainment of such a creature. Right now, he is not our enemy. Ataksuki is Konoha's enemy and he provided valuable information to Naruto and Kakashi-sensei about them a little while ago."

"I don't think you should trust him, Sakura-san," Lee said. "Perhaps you should get rid of that book. Who knows what is in it!"

Sakura held the book protectively against her. She was greedy for any medical knowledge no matter the source. She knew that Lee was right and that given the source she should probably destroy the journal. However, there was something in her that simply refused to let go of it. Once more she glanced around expecting to see some clue of Itachi's presence. There was none.

"Let's get going again. Kiba?"

"All right, but we should probably travel on the ground for a while. The branches were starting to get slick."

**OoO**

Sakura had taken the first watch once her team had settled for the night. It had been a long, exhausting, frigid day. It had stopped snowing hours ago and the temperature had risen enough that the light powder had melted. However, the ground was damp and saturated as if a cold rain shower had visited the land. Nothing happened after their run-in with Kabuto. The journal the medical ninja had given her weighed heavily in her pack and loath as she was to admit it the desire to read the journal was the reason behind her taking first watch when the light was best.

She sat on a half-rotten log at the outskirts of the camp. Behind her the fire crackled and the full-moon's light illuminated the pages and the Sound ninja's small and precise handwriting.

"There are some books that should not be read," Itachi said sitting beside her.

Sakura jumped at his unexpected presence. She looked over at him to see he wore the black clothes he'd worn in life. "Where were you?" she whispered trying to keep her voice down so as not to wake up any of her team.

"Did you miss me?" Itachi asked meeting her eyes with his dark ebony ones.

"I was just wondering," Sakura mumbled turning her gaze back to the book. The page covered the topic of an experiment Orochimaru did on Danzo involving the implantation of multiple Uchiha eyes onto his arms. "This can't be right."

Itachi leaned over her, it was strange to not feel anything with his close presence. Sakura half expected to feel his body heat or hear his heartbeat or steady breathing, but it was only cold silence. He sat up stiffly and ran his fingers through his hair in agitation.

"Danzo was the one behind the order to massacre my clan. I never would have thought this would be his motivation."

"Orochimaru was gone from Konoha long before that incident. This means Danzo would have sought his help long after he'd betrayed Konoha," Sakura said.

Itachi pressed his finger tips against his forehead and sighed. "Not exactly upstanding behavior for one of Konoha's beloved council elders. I never cared for the man, but I had always thought he was loyal to Konoha to a fault."

Sakura snorted. "Beloved? Hardly. Sai can't even speak about the man. He'd placed some sort of seal on the tongues of all his Root members so they can't say anything about him even if they wanted to. That doesn't sound like a guy who has nothing to hide."

"It certainly does explain why he wears all those bandages," Itachi said leaning back over to read more of the page. "When does your shift end? I'd like to get back to your training."

"I thought time wasn't really relevant with your training method."

"I'm just trying to make conversation, Sakura," he said turning his head to meet her eyes once more. And while she knew he wasn't there physically, Sakura felt a chill course down her spine at the sound of his voice. It reminded her of when she'd been a pre-teen and on the few occasions Sasuke deemed to speak in more than mono-syllable responses to her. She didn't like comparing the Uchiha brothers, but they were so alike-right down to the crazy.

Nervously, Sakura reached up and rubbed her thumb and index finger over the charm of the raven necklace Itachi had given her. She flipped to the next page and it was full of scrawl regarding the Uchiha Sharingan. "He certainly seemed obsessed on the topic, wasn't he?"

"Orochimaru? He always wanted the power of a bloodline. Long before Sasuke, he'd had his sights set on me. I was the reason he'd joined the Akatsuki, but the snake quickly realized he had no hope to attain me for his goals. Not long after, he quit the Akatsuki and started hiding in his little hole in Sound."

"And later an Uchiha came to him," Sakura added bitterly remembering the night Sasuke left Konoha, left her. Even though she knew Itachi was a victim in the whole mess, she still blamed him for Sasuke's need to be an avenger. Behind her, the fire crackled particularly loudly and the sound reminded her that she was on watch. She looked up and did a quick visual of the area and tried a quick scan of chakra. She wasn't as adapt as Kakashi in chakra scans, but she could sufficiently sense disturbances. She had two clones out in the region and neither had vanished into a puff of smoke. That was always a good sign.

The sound of Itachi's voice startled her, but she fought not to show any such signs. "And even after Sasuke killed him, Orochimaru found a way to dig in his claws," Itachi said. "But I destroyed him in our last battle."

"Were you there when Kabuto gave me this?"

"No, but I recognize his handwriting," Itachi said.

He wasn't there? Sakura was curious to know exactly where he was then. She had assumed he'd been with her all day but keeping his silence. Certainly, Itachi Uchiha was a ghost and therefore free to go wherever he wanted, but she'd thought that the man had some sort of special bond to stay near her. Apparently, she was wrong and the thought was a more unnerving than she wanted to admit.

"Sakura? Are you okay?" Kiba asked sitting up and groggily rubbing his eyes.

"I'm fine, Kiba. Sorry for waking you. I was just talking to myself," Sakura apologized.

"Well I can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about those damned lizards you and Sai sicced on me. Why don't you go to sleep and Akamaru and I'll take over watch?"

Sakura cringed guiltily at the reminder. "Sorry about that."

"No, you're not," Kiba said standing and moving toward the log. He sat next her, right where Itachi was sitting. The Uchiha vanished and Kiba yawned widely. "And now I'll never drink on a mission thanks to your little stunt. I'm scarred for life!"

"I just want you safe," Sakura said patting the boy next to her on the shoulder. "Thanks for taking watch." Sakura stood and dispelled her clones. They'd vanish the moment she was unconscious anyway, but it was smarter to conserve as much strength as possible. She moved over to where she'd set her pack and sleeping bag. She unrolled the sleeping bag and slipped inside its warm confines. Itachi was gone, but she knew she'd see him soon and she had plenty of questions.

**OoO**

The dreams were always different. This time there was no field or clearing amongst the forest. Sakura found herself on a rocky terrain with great craters and cliffs alike. It was dry and hot, nothing like the wintery day she found herself in reality. A quick look at herself and she was comforted to see her familiar red, pink, and black garb.

"I don't understand why you picked those colors," Itachi said appearing in front of her. His sudden presence caused her to jump and it seemed it was harder to control such urges in the dreamscape compared to the real world. "It's the same color as the Akatsuki really-aside from the pink."

"The red and black are the Haruno family's colors."

"And why have I not met any other Harunos in all my years of service?" Itachi started to circle around her with his hand upon his chin and giving her outfit a thorough inspection. "Perhaps the red would be considered an easy target and as a rule the clan members didn't make it out of basic training? Perhaps you're the first to reach beyond the status of Genin?"

"If your chakra is masked, it doesn't matter what color a ninja is wearing."

"True enough, I suppose," Itachi conceded. "You are only a Chunin, perhaps you've simply not learned the importance of camouflage to give one the most advantages. Standard Jounin uniform utilizes green and black for a reason. One should not rely sole on chakra masking reality."

At her feet, Sakura could see a great number of loose stones covering the ground. "Is there a point to this lecture?" She reached down and picked up one of those stones and began to idly toss it up and down. She had questions to ask, but if he kept distracting her she'd never get around to acquiring her answers.

Itachi's dark eyes bled into crimson and he smiled a bit viciously at her. "The Sharingan cannot be fooled by your chakra. Against Sasuke, we want him to know it is you. His eyesight will worsen but with all that red and pink he will without doubt recognize you."

"Okay," Sakura said holding the stone in the palm of her hand and clenching a tight fist. She would like to think she'd gotten to know Itachi pretty decently over the past few days, but looking at the man across from her she couldn't help but feel a sense of terror at the sight of his eyes and unfriendly expression. "And that's good, right?"

"Assuming he isn't hopeless, there should remain a soft spot for you somewhere in his heart," Itachi said.

The stones at Sakura's feet began to lift around her and circle around at head level. Sakura recognized it for a genjutsu cast by Itachi's Sharingan, but it would still hurt if she didn't stop it. She focused on triggering a painful stimulus with her chakra to herself and snap out of the daze. The stones were still lying peacefully on the ground and Itachi was now standing right in front of her with his hands wrapped around her neck. He'd used the time she was focusing on the stones to move and cross the distance between them.

"You'd be dead right now."

Sakura put her palms together and thrust them upwards breaking Itachi's grip with a basic self-defense move that any civilian could use. "I see your point. I still need practice. But why would Sasuke do that if he still has a soft spot for me?"

"He might hesitate for a moment, but he will kill you if he sees you as a threat for his goals. That is the reason he left you and Naruto. You made him care and he needed to focus on hate."

"And who's fault is it that his life's mission was hate? Who told him after he witnessed the death of his entire clan by his beloved older brother that he needed to grow stronger by hate?"

"Sticks and stone," Itachi said turning away. He turned back holding a great sword in his hands that had materialized out of nothing. "Every Akatsuki has a sword, including Sasuke."

Sakura glanced down to see that she was holding a very familiar kunai. Was she supposed to defeat a sword-bearing Itachi with a kunai? It seemed like the genjutsu lessons were on hold for weapon training now. She moved into a ready stance and awaited Itachi's attack.

"Your defensive stance is good. A situation like this is not unlike anytime a smaller opponent faces a larger one. Tell me, Sakura, what is the key to defeating a bigger opponent?" Itachi rested his sword against his shoulder patiently.

"The smaller opponent must be quicker because the larger one will be slowed by the larger size of both himself and his weapon. The larger has a longer reach so the smaller will have to move close." Sakura shifted her kunai from her right hand to her left and then back before rushing in toward Itachi and aiming for his midsection.

Itachi managed to bring the sword down and stop the kunai from striking. "Under normal circumstances, that is correct. Ninjas rarely face normal circumstances and a large enemy with a great amount of chakra can move just as fluidly and quickly as a smaller one. In our world, power defeats physics."

Sakura brought her knee up and hit Itachi hard in the groin during his explanation and she managed to slip away from his sword and hit her kunai into the kidney region of his low back. "So then I rely on surprise and my opponent under estimating me and basic biology."

In spite of the grimace of pain upon his face Itachi gave her a wry smile. "That's not an answer in the textbooks, Haruno."

"Books are useless against the Uchiha," Sakura said. She approached him cautiously. "Are you okay?" It didn't make sense that he would be in pain-it wasn't like he was corporal.

He then brought his sword toward her and she just barely managed to stop it from splitting her in half with the use of her chakra enhanced strength welding her kunai and catching it at the base of the blade near the hilt. Itachi pushed aside the kunai with an awkward twist of the sword and wrapped his left arm around Sakura's waist pulling her taut against his torso. "I believe, Haruno, that you just underestimated your opponent."

"Right, and again I'm dead," Sakura breathed. She looked up cautiously into Itachi's eyes and was comforted to see the ebony color in his dark gaze. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest in synchrony to that of her own. And thoughts of swordplay were the farthest thing from her mind as she let her gaze drift down to Itachi's tempting lips. They were slightly parted as if waiting in invitation.

"Being dead isn't so bad," Itachi said giving her a squeeze and then stepping away. The kunai reappeared in her hand and he brandished his sword once more. "Again."

_(A/N: This is an adaptation of chapter 469 & 470 of the manga...if you've not read it you should! It's probably one of my new favorite scenes)_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

"Sakura?" Kakashi asked setting aside his familiar orange novel. He was leaning against a cabin no doubt created with Yamato's wood manipulating ability.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura greeted. "You received Sai's messenger bird?"

The Copy Ninja nodded his head. "What's wrong?"

"Our Hokage is in a coma, the corrupt Danzo somehow is posing as Hokage, our village was nearly destroyed by Pain, you almost died, Naruto almost died, two-thirds of the village almost died and the hospital has been a mad-house. The majority of my teammates left on some secret mission-that would be you, Naruto and Yamato. Other than that everything is fine," Sakura said with a tight smile. She folded her arms over chest to resist the urge to pick up Kakashi's orange Icha Icha book and knock her former sensei over the head with it for asking such a stupid question.

"Sakura, you know I would have included you if I didn't think your skills were more needed back home," Kakashi said with his visible eye drooping unhappily. "And if I could tell you more about what was going on I would."

"Tell me that Danzo and the elders under the agreement of the Third Hokage gave Itachi the orders to destroy the Uchiha? And that he was never a traitor but in fact the most loyal of all Konoha ninjas?" Sakura suggested helpfully.

Kakashi blinked at her in astonishment. "How did you know that?"

"_I do believe you managed to catch the great Copy Ninja unawares, Sakura,"_ Itachi's voice whispered in her ear.

"I am the apprentice of the Fifth Hokage and have access to all sorts of secret documents. I need to speak with Naruto."

"Who else have you told?" Kakashi pushed away from the building and started to approach her.

"Only the ones that needed to know."

"Sakura? Is that you?" Yamato asked coming outside of the wooden structure. He saw the rest of Team Haruno behind her and his eyes grew wide in at the unexpected company. "Naruto is meditating out back," he stated bringing his dark eyes back to hers.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto called out in surprise. His hair had a fine layer of snow and his shoulders were dusted in the white powder. "Sai? Kiba? Bushy-brow? What are you all doing here?"

Sai, Kiba, and Lee moved closer and stood behind Sakura in a gesture of support. Kakashi looked at her team and then back at Naruto and Yamato. "Naruto, Sakura came to speak with you about something."

"Sure, Sakura-chan," Naruto said. "You didn't need to come all the way out here though. It's pretty dangerous."

Sakura stared at her friend for a moment as words refused to come to her mouth. The sight of him so serious and tired broke her heart. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to call him "dead last." Ever since the loss of Jiriaya and the battle with Pain he'd been especially different. His level as a ninja was beyond anyone else she knew with his Sage mode abilities and now his serious attitude. What exactly did he and Pain converse about? She knew that Jiriaya had been the teacher of both and that Pain had been the one to kill the Pervert Sage. Whatever it was it changed him and she hardly recognized this serious young man. But, she wanted to know him better. And she could really picture him as the future Hokage especially with Gaara being the leader of Sand.

"It isn't something that I can simply write down. Naruto, I've come to tell you that..." she paused and glanced toward Naruto's right where Itachi now stood visible and she paused.

"Surely you came up with a better idea than proclaiming your love for him," Itachi interrupted. He folded his arms over his chest and cast her an expectant look.

Sakura cleared her throat and from the corner of her eye saw that Sai also had his arms crossed and was watching her carefully. "Naruto, I care for you deeply. I really like you a lot and in fact I love you. I don't love Sasuke anymore. And I don't want you going after him. Konoha needs you and I need you. Please, don't waste any more time on this pursuit. Come back with me." There were a few tears shimmering in her eyes, but they did not fall, and they weren't part of her act either-they were real. She meant every word, but not perhaps in the way that it sounded.

"Sakura!" Lee cried out in a distraught voice.

Kakashi arched an eyebrow at her curiously and Yamato's face was an expression of shock with his eyes wide and his face blanched of color.

Naruto stared at her in confusion. "What are you talking about, Sakura-chan? What brought this out?"

Sakura took a step toward him and they stood only a single stride apart. "I've just realized that you are the one that has always been there for me. You're my constant comfort and my best friend. All Sasuke does is disappoint us both and constantly trample any affection we once had for him. He's a criminal and I don't want you wasting any more time on him."

Naruto reached out and clasped Sakura's shoulders and she rushed forward to embrace him in a tight hug. She rested her chin upon his shoulder. "I can touch you Naruto. You're right here."

Naruto's fingers clenched uncomfortably into the her flesh and drew her back to look into her eyes. His face darkened. "I hate liars, Sakura, especially the ones that lie to themselves."

"Perhaps we should have rehearsed this reunion last night during our training," Itachi muttered as he circled around both her and Naruto.

She couldn't believe that Naruto had just said that! Her mouth fell open slightly before she realized it and she quickly snapped it shut. She caught Kakashi's expression and he was now looking at Naruto with an even more elevated arch to his brow and his arm was held out across Yamato's chest as if expecting the wood-manipulating ninja to leap out and put both Sakura and Naruto into a timeout.

"I know you don't mean what you said." Naruto stepped back from her and his hands were held in tight fists at his side and his bright blue eyes were full of anger. "And I know you love Sasuke. And I don't care what you want now. I'm going after him and I'm bringing him home. There are things you don't understand."

"Well I'm not lying to you or to myself! I think I'd know what was the truth, but if you don't want to believe it then fine!"

"It's unexpected and weird," Naruto argued.

"You aren't listening to reason. Why should you care if I have feelings for you and don't want to risk you not coming home? It's not like we've not lost so many other important people. And you seem to forget that you are the number one target for the Akatsuki and are constantly in danger!" Sakura shouted.

"You are the one that doesn't understand, Sakura-chan! I want to help Sasuke, because I understand what must be going through his mind!" Naruto yelled back.

Kiba moved quietly behind Sakura and cupped his hand over his lips and whispered in her ear. "Should we tell him about the order out on Sasuke?"

The recent order issued by Danzo before he left Konoha was that Sasuke was officially missing nin and was to be killed on sight. Sakura stepped down on Kiba's foot effectively silencing him and whirled around and stormed away. "I'm going back to Konoha where I'm needed!" she said over her shoulder. "Let's go guys," she said to her teammates.

"Finally. Now we can do what we really set out to accomplish," Itachi said leading the way before his figure disappeared and faded into the snowy scenery.

Sai stood back indecisively looking from Kakashi and Sakura before taking off after her.

**OoO**

Kakashi was shocked by the behavior of his former students. First Sakura proclaimed to love Naruto, which he didn't really think that was the case, but then she was a teenaged girl so who was he to know such things. Even more baffling was Naruto's anger. After hearing such a proclamation he'd have thought Naruto would have at least smiled or given Sakura a hug or maybe even fainted. Instead he'd stood there like a statue and proceeding to have one of their famous shouting matches.

Ever since his brush with Pain and meeting his father, the Fourth Hokage, when the kyubi threatened to break out of his seal, Naruto was more determined than ever. Finding and stopping Sasuke had nothing to do with the promise made between twelve-year olds. It was a driving force that even Kakashi had a hard time of understanding and he was the one to teach them the difference between failing to do your mission and being scum and failing your teammates and being lower than scum.

"Naruto," Kakashi started carefully. The boy turned toward him with an expressionless face. "Are you sure you want her to go back upset like that? You know how bad she was after Sasuke left after she declared her feelings for him. And now she can destroy whole mountains with a single punch."

"The differences between Sasuke and I can be measured like the distance between the sky and the ocean. They never meet and so it is the same with us when it regards Sakura. I will do anything in my power to protect her and he would seek to destroy," Naruto said quietly. "We both lost our family to protect Konoha, but I didn't abandon my team and I am not abandoning Sasuke now just because things are difficult. Right now he needs my help more than anyone. It is the sky that gives the ocean its color."

Kakashi didn't know what to say. He thought Naruto was being harsh to ignore Sakura's confession, but then again he had to wonder if Sakura wasn't lying. There was no doubt that if Sakura was lying she had good intentions, but she should have known Naruto wouldn't have listened to her without being suspicious-he wasn't such an idiot anymore. And when did Naruto get all poetic? Perhaps he inherited something more from his time training under Jiriaya than a better control over his abilities?

Naruto turned back toward the cabin and walked around the side to the hill he'd occupied earlier most likely to focus on his meditation. Yamato followed after them. Kakashi sighed heavy and leaned back against the building and pulled out his trusty orange companion.

He didn't understand his former students, but he wasn't about to let either of them do anything stupid-unless he was part of it. Worry gnawed at his heart and he was tempted to send Pakkun after Sakura just to make sure she arrived back at Konoha safely.

A small, pride-filled smile crossed his lips as he imagined Sakura's temper flaring at seeing he'd had her tracked by the little pug. Her strength was monstrous and really he had nothing to worry about because she could take care of herself. And with that last thought he focused on chapter seven because this was where the heroine decided to take the art of seduction into her own hands and track down her old lover and former teacher and bring him back home.

**OoO**

"What? We're going back to Konoha?" Kiba cried. "This was such a wasted trip! And did you have to step on my foot?"

Sakura looked over at her teammate and the scowl she wore melted from her expression. She leaned down and reached for his lower leg and sent a healing burst of chakra to sooth the minor bruising and her reward was a sigh of relaxation. Sakura said nothing and they traveled for an hour before she stopped them.

"Why did you tell him that, Sakura?" Sai asked quietly.

"We're not going back to Konoha. Kiba, I need you to track Sasuke. I'm not going to let Naruto do what I should have done years ago. I'm going to stop him. You guys can go back to Konoha or you can come with me. I know it's a different mission, but..."

"Of course, Sakura-san!" Lee exclaimed with a large grin. "I'm so happy to know that what you told Naruto was only a ruse!"

"All right! I love action!" Kiba shouted and Akamaru barked enthusiastically in agreement.

"Sakura, this isn't what I meant when I talked to you about your promise to Naruto," Sai said quietly.

"It's a promise I'm making myself. Sasuke was my teammate and friend and I won't allow him to turn into a monster and tarnish the good that was within him. If he won't listen to reason then I will take him down," she said determinedly.

"You and Naruto really are two of a stubborn kind," Itachi said standing in front of her. "I must say this isn't how I expected the day to go, but it does seem to be working out nicely." He glanced to his left. "Looks like your boy Sai just sent off a shadow clone-no doubt to warn Hatake of your plans. I suggest you hurry before the Copy Ninja catches you. He won't want you risking your life. You have about an hour's advantage, but it should be enough."

Sakura looked at her teammates and then focused on Kiba. "Which way Kiba?"

He sniffed the air in several directions. "To the east." And they took off following after him and Akamaru. Within her cloak Sakura could feel the knock-out gas containers weighing heavily against her side. She would not allow anyone else to be hurt.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:**

"He's just up ahead about a kilometer," Kiba confirmed. "It will take us less than a few minutes to reach him at our current pace."

"I cannot allow you to go any further." Sai moved in front of them and blocked the path.

"Get out of the way Sai," Sakura warned.

"Kakashi is on his way. I had no intention for you to throw your life away Sakura. Sasuke isn't worth it," Sai said.

"Guys, I appreciate you coming this way," Sakura said looking at Kiba and Lee before finally looking at Sai. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry." She reached into her cloak and pulled out the three containers full of knock out gas, but she didn't anticipate Sai catching her wrist and stopping her.

"So this is what you were planning on doing! No, Sakura! I won't let you go after Sasuke alone either." Sai held her wrist tightly and his face was determined and his dark eyes concerned. "I had no idea you'd react this way. Just forget what I said before and let's go back to the village."

"No, Sai. You were right. And I'm sorry," she said before chakra infusing her wrist and pulling out of his grasp and throwing the knockout gas to the ground. Her companions quickly fell as the fast acting solution took effect.

"Interesting. How come you're not affected?" Itachi asked looking at her unconscious teammates.

"I took a prophylactic vaccination before the trip. I am a poisons expert, but they'll be awake in about twenty minutes. There's no one in the region so they should be fine," she explained before taking off in the direction Kiba had indicated.

"I wonder what it would have been like if I had stayed in Konoha should the massacre not have been ordered and the rebellion peacefully worked out," Itachi said thoughtfully moving alongside her as she ran at full speed. "As your superior officer I'd definitely not have let you get away with abandoning your team like that."

Sakura glanced over at him. "Really? You already told me that if they were there when we confront Sasuke that he'd kill them without a thought."

"Hmm, true, but we were speaking of a hypothetical non-massacre alternate universe. I wonder what Hatake will think of your actions. Isn't the one that said to abandon your teammates makes you lower than scum?"

Sakura's lips thinned at the idea of her former teacher being disappointed in her. "I think he'd be glad that I didn't want to risk the lives of my teammates. He was often sent on missions alone so I think he'll understand. I won't let anyone else be hurt by Sasuke," she vowed.

Itachi looked away. She was doing what he wanted, but he couldn't help but worry about her safety. Sakura was his last hope of saving Sasuke from the darkness threatening to overtake him. If something happened to her, then everything he worked so hard to protect would be for nothing.

They traveled in silence and then Itachi vanished from her side. Sakura decided not to worry about him. He was dead, what more could happen to him? She could hear the crackle of Kakashi's chidori, but then realized it was coming from in front of her at a great distance. And it wasn't Kakashi.

"He killed Danzo. Madara just left, but not before encouraging him to kill off the girl. Apparently, she knows too much," Itachi said reappearing beside her.

Sakura didn't know who the girl was, but she wasn't about to let Sasuke kill off someone who was defenseless. She could see him from beyond the gorge in the canyon in the rocky landscape.

"Sasuke-kun!" she shouted. He looked over at her from the distance and closed his hand discharging the chidori. She couldn't believe this was the same boy she loved all those years ago. He didn't even look like the boy who tried to kill her at Orochimaru's hideout those few months ago. His eye was bleeding blackness and he was covered in blood from head to toe.

"Sakura, what do you want from me?" Sasuke asked. His voice was tired and he seemed to have forgotten the girl while he focused his attention on her.

Maybe, just maybe she had a chance to save him without killing him after all. That hope sprang eternal and she had to try it. If it failed, she'd just have to kill him later regardless of what Itachi might want.

"I will join you and leave Konoha!" she shouted. There were no declarations of love or devotion. Merely an offer to join his team. It seemed it was the right thing to say as it gave him pause. He stared at her in silence and she closed the distance between them. Sakura's eyes flickered toward the injured woman before falling on Sasuke.

"Why?" he asked. At that moment he wasn't the fierce monster that he had been on the path to becoming. He was suddenly a lost little boy who saw his heroic big brother slaughter his entire clan.

"Because I'm the best medic there is and you're half dead. I know what Danzo and the elders did and I don't blame you for wanting to rid Konoha of their corruption. If you want any chance of doing that you'll take me up on my offer."

"What do you want in return?" Sasuke asked suspiciously. The hand at his side twitched in agitation.

"Be careful, Sakura. My little brother looks like he's one impulse away from sending a chidori your way," Itachi warned circling Sasuke. A shiver seemed to run down Sasuke's frame and his hand relaxed.

Itachi moved toward the girl. "The girl's going to die if you don't do something soon," Itachi said bending down to inspect the wound that penetrated through the redhead's chest as if made by a sword.

"I want the life of this girl. Let me heal her and let her go."

Sasuke looked down at the girl at his feet and then back at Sakura and shrugged. "If you wish, she is of no use to me. It seems a waste of a wish if you ask me." He then walked away and leaned against an outcropping of rocks.

Sakura turned her attention to the girl and crouched beside her. "What's your name?" she asked as she gently probed the wound with her healing chakra. Thankfully, no major arteries were hit, the heart was spared, but the lung was shredded on the left side.

"Karin," she wheezed as her lung began to repair itself and the bleeding stopped. "Who are you?"

"The one that saved your life," Sakura said concentrating on the wound.

Karin's eyes grew wide as she looked behind Sakura toward Sasuke's direction. "Sasuke! Don't!" she cried out.

Sakura turned in time to see Sasuke had a chidori crackling in his hand and it was aimed to deliver a fatal blow in her direction. A look of confusion flashed through Sasuke's eyes when his arm trembled as if another force were holding it in place.

"_Sakura! Knock him out! I'm not sure how much longer I can hold him. This is substantially more difficult than moving a bottle of skin cream!" _Itachi's strained voice cried out from the direction of Sasuke's immobilized arm.

"You're not killing me today, Sasuke," Sakura said moving behind her former teammate and using the same move he'd done years ago on her by the bench and hit him soundly at the base of his skull. Sasuke slumped backward and the chidori in his hand fizzled out as his consciousness was shut down. Sakura caught him and laid him none-too-gently on the ground.

She returned to Karin's side who was blinking in astonishment. "What happened?" Karin asked.

Sakura didn't answer but focused on her task. It took roughly five minutes of deep concentration to heal what would have been a mortal wound if left untreated. Luckily, it was a clean shot with Sasuke's chidori sword and nothing vital had been hit-one can live with only one lung, but even a non-mortal wound could lead so a bleed out. Did he know she was coming? Or was it an accident? Perhaps she'd never know, but given his murderous intent toward her she didn't think it was an accident. "You'll live, Karin," Sakura said standing and offering the girl her hand.

Karin took it and stood on shaky feet.

"How do you feel?"

Karin gave her a sad smile. "I'll live." She looked past Sakura toward the still form of Sasuke. "Will he be all right?"

"That's really up to him. Be strong," Sakura said cupping the girl's shoulder. She turned to Sasuke and contemplated that all it would take was one precisely aimed kunai and it would all be over. Or an imprecisely aimed kunai dipped in one of her most toxic poisons. Naruto and Konoha would be safe from the insane Uchiha. Either Sasuke would accepted her when he woke up or she'd kill him later or die trying.

Itachi materialized standing behind Sasuke. "We need to go, Sakura. Toss him over your shoulder. I know a place you can rest and wait for him to wake up. We'll deal with the rest then. I'll watch him while you sleep and wake you if he starts to stir."

Sakura turned toward Karin. "Tell Hatake Kakashi when he comes here that I'm sorry and that no matter what he might think he was the best sensei anyone could have asked for." She scooped up Sasuke's unconscious form and threw him over her shoulder without much concern for his well-being. If he was a little more bruised she really didn't mind considering he'd just tried to kill both her and Karin. "And Karin, ask him not to follow me and to trust me on this."

The redhead nodded. "Sakura?" Her eyes seemed focused on Sakura's forehead protector.

"Yes?"

"He wasn't always been this way, right?"

Sakura looked at the girl with pity and could see the same love in the redhead's eyes that she knew her twelve-year old eyes had reflected. Was it Sasuke's mission in life to break the hearts of anyone foolish enough to care about him? "No, he wasn't," she said shifting the weight of the unconscious man over her shoulder.

"I'll give your Kakashi your message." Karin took a deep breath and held her hand over her chest where Sakura had repaired the deep wound. "Please, Sakura, do what you can to fix Sasuke-kun. He was driven before, but after Itachi, when he met Madara he changed even more. His actions have become darker and I don't recognize him anymore."

Sakura stared at Karin when she adjusted her glasses. There was something nagging at the periphery of her mind about the action. "Have we met before, Karin?"

Karin pushed her glasses at the piece above her nose in a nervous gesture. "We were in the Chunin exam together." She gave Sakura a sad smile. "I remember you now, you, Sasuke-kun, and the loud-mouthed yellow-haired boy were on a team together. I remember that you were the only girl Sasuke-kun would talk to."

"Touching, but we need to go, Sakura," Itachi said in a bored tone. "Hatake has excellent tracking skills and he'll find us if we don't leave now."

"That was a long time ago, Karin," Sakura said. She gave the girl a small smile. "But don't worry, I'll do what I can to stop Sasuke from his misguided quest of destruction." She directed her attention to Itachi and followed in the direction he indicated.

"We're not far from one of the hidden Uchiha safe-houses. It's a cave and I used it about two months ago so it should still be in decent condition," Itachi said leading the way. They were well out of sight of Karin when his form started to become more transparent before he completely disappeared.

"Itachi?" Sakura whispered looking both left and right. She readjusted Sasuke over her shoulder and tried to stamp down the panic that started to rise.

"_I'm still here, Sakura. It's difficult to retain visibility right now," _Itachi's voice sounded from in front of her.

"How did you manage to stop him? When I touched you my hand went right through you, but you were solid when you grabbed Sasuke's arm."

"_Perhaps I had greater motivation to stop him. Just keep heading north for another five kilometers. I will let you know if you start to veer from our destination. Once we reach it Hatake will not be able to follow your scent courtesy of several protective wards. " _

Sakura would have never seen the cave on her own even using her skills of observation. The entryway was completely concealed and if Itachi hadn't directed her to the secret lever to open the cave she'd have walked right past it none the wiser.

In one corner there was a network of shelves full of books, unlit candles, various kunai, some cabinets, and a couple of tatami mats. The wall in the back glowed with an iridescent green that provided faint enough light for her to see. She pulled out one of the mats and put it in the opposite corner and then set Sasuke on it not caring if he was comfortable. She didn't waste any more time before searching him and stripping him of his sword and weapons and placed them on the room's table.

"_For someone who claimed undying love you're treating Sasuke a bit crudely," _Itachi observed.

"I was twelve and in the past half-hour he just tried to kill me," she snapped angrily. She went back toward the shelves and noticed to the side a couple of hooks were in the cave wall. There was one Akatsuki cloak hanging on the left-most one. She choose the one on the far right for her snow-dampened cloak.

"_I wasn't kidding when I said my cloak was warm, Sakura," _Itachi's voice seemed to come right in her ear and gooseflesh formed down her neck and arms at the proximity. _"And there are a few matches for the candles. Sometimes I would come back here with very little chakra reserves. And there's a cabinet you can store his weapons in with a coded lock."_

Sakura nodded and found the cabinet to which he was referring. He talked her through the complicated locking mechanism and then she stashed Sasuke's weapons within it. She then took Itachi's old cloak from the hook and draped it over her shoulders. It still contained Itachi's scent-a mixture of sandalwood, cinnamon, with a faint touch of smoke. She took a pair of candles and a match, lit them, and set one on the small table in the middle of the cavern and kept the other in her hand. With the better light she moved to inspect the odd green light.

"_You might not want to look too close at that."_

Sakura ignored the warning and then wished she hadn't when it became apparent that the odd green light was in fact hundreds of glow worms crawling over the rock.

"Okay, next time I'll listen when you warn me," Sakura said with a shudder and backed away. She took a second tatami mat and set up near Sasuke. Itachi was right, his Akatsuki cloak was really warm. She bundled up within the folds of the black and red material and enjoyed the comforting scent. "Will you tell me about the necklace now?"

"_Only if you promise to not take it off."_

"You have my word."

"_Two months ago I began to plot out my contingency plan should Sasuke not utilize the powers I gave him to defend Konoha and continued to seek revenge. You were that plan. I had that pendant created out of pure silver, but it also has a bit of my blood mixed in. Akatsuki sought power and some of it was through dark arts so I've learned many tricks and what I created was a protective charm. Whomever wears that charm I can both communicate with and protect to my utmost ability no matter the distance."_

Sakura reached up to grasp the pendant. "This is why I can hear and see you? Is that how you were able to stop Sasuke physically?"

"I'm not sure, Sakura," Itachi said coming into view in front of her. He was squatting down on his haunches with his forearms draped over his knees. "But I'd rather not take any chances. You are risking your life for my request and I would like to do whatever I can to preserve your life."

Sakura stared down at his fingers because it was easier than looking into the dark gaze of concern he directed toward her. She could see the dark paint coating his short nails. "I thought I told you I didn't like you with painted nails."

Itachi ran his fingers over his hair in an obvious show of frustration. "I cannot control how I look in this form like I can in dreams."

"Is it because this is what you looked like when you died?"

"Maybe. Believe it or not, Sakura, even I don't have all the answers."

"Just a contingency plan."

His lips twitched into a smirk. "Just a contingency plan," he agreed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

It didn't take long for Sakura to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. She considered herself somewhat insane to count on a ghost to keep her safe from the unconscious form of Sasuke Uchiha who was currently resting a measly five feet away from her tatami mat. However, she did have a sound enough mind to check on his vitals before trying to catch some shut eye. In her medical opinion given the stress his body had recently suffered from his fight with Danzo-and who knew what else-he'd be out for at least five hours.

Five hours would be plenty of time for her to build up her chakra stores and refresh her travel-weary body and emotionally drained mind. For once in her shinobi career she felt without direction and the feeling would have been manageable if she hadn't felt like a traitor knocking out her teammates and lying to Kakashi-sensei and Naruto. And since more than an hour had passed it looked like Kakashi-sensei wasn't following after her and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. Part of her wanted to be rescued by her old teacher and guided, but another more stubborn part wanted to take care of the situation herself.

And since she was following the advice of a ghost she certainly thought it would be a good idea to rest and recapture her mental alertness.

It was of her own accord that she woke up four and half hours later. There was no sign of Itachi and Sasuke was still breathing heavily at her side. She sat up and watched her former teammate for a long while contemplating whether or not she should heal him or leave him in his weakened state in order to give herself more protection.

Tsunade-shisho taught about the principle of healing no matter what side of the war a patient was on. It was a medic's duty to heal the injured and sick. Sakura certainly didn't trust Sasuke, especially with his attempt to kill her only stopped by Itachi's miraculous intervention. However, if she did heal him his suspicions of her might lessen and perhaps he still had a mind capable of reasoning.

With a sigh of resignation and annoyance at her own sense of morality Sakura moved to kneel next to Sasuke's form and assessed his injuries before deciding where best to begin the healing process. She wouldn't heal him completely as she couldn't risk draining her chakra. Time would heal most of his injuries, but she could at least hurry the process along.

Sasuke's dark eyes flickered open. "What are you doing, Sakura?" he asked in a raspy voice as she continued to lean over his chest sending in healing chakra to the areas of most damage-primarily the internal bruising of his major organs and a few fractured ribs.

"Not letting you die," she answered in a sharp tone. She glared down at him and pulled her hands away from his torso. "Not that you'd return the favor," she added bitterly.

"I never asked you to come," Sasuke said turning his head away. "And I didn't ask you to heal me. I'd have been fine on my own. You're not wanted here so just go home."

"Right, the home you intend to destroy. And you may not want me here, but I'm not here for you." Sakura stood and moved to the far side of the cavern.

Sasuke turned his head and followed Sakura's retreat. He sat up and his stare became an intense glare of hostility. "Take off that cloak," he hissed.

Sakura pulled it more snug against her. "No."

"You take it off, Sakura. Do you have any idea who that belongs to?"

"In fact, I do and he certainly wouldn't mind if I use it. I'm not going to wear a damp cloak to make you feel more at ease."

Sasuke placed his palms on the ground and pushed himself to a sitting-up position with a grimace. "Madara is here?" He seemed to notice he was unarmed at that moment. "Where are my weapons?"

"No to the first question and secured to the second."

He frowned and started to take in his surroundings.

"_Sasuke has never been here before."_

"Where are we?"

"One of the Uchiha safe houses," Sakura answered sitting in one of the chairs near the table.

"What?" His attention was riveted towards her. "How would you know where to find such a place?"

"I didn't," Sakura answered crossing her arms over her chest. "I stumbled across it."

"Impossible. How did you know how to find this place if this is a safe house of my clan? Did Madara bring us here?"

"Your clan was a member of Konoha. I have just as much right to use this place as you," Sakura answered ignoring his last question. If he wanted to think that Madara was responsible she was in no hurry to change that delusion.

"You have no right, Sakura," Sasuke said coming to his feet. His left eye began to bleed and his Sharingan was activated.

"_Tread carefully. He's mentally unstable."_

"Believe it or not, but I'm not your enemy."

"You are loyal to Konoha. Therefore you are my enemy."

"Then I suppose you still consider Itachi an enemy."

"Don't you dare speak of Itachi. You know nothing!"

"You might be surprised by what I know."

Itachi's form began to materialize again and Sakura turned her attention to him. "Must you goad him so much?" he asked.

"He's very antagonizing," Sakura complained under her breath.

"Did you say something? Who are you talking to?" Sasuke asked, his eye was no longer bleeding and the Sharingan had stopped spinning.

"Don't answer him. There's something for you on the shelves, Sakura. I left it for you when I was last here anticipating the possibility of you coming to the safe house." Itachi shrugged. "And if you didn't come to the safe house it would be a nice find for someone who stumbled across it later."

Sakura turned back toward the shelves glad that whatever it was wasn't by the glow-worms' wall.

"It's on the topmost shelf on the right," Itachi instructed.

"Don't ignore me, Sakura," Sasuke growled.

Sakura reached up and pulled down an engraved wooden box. It looked like a jewelry box and had a cherry blossom tree carved into the lid-coincidence? Possibly. Cherry blossoms were a very popular design in Japan after all, but it was a nice touch. Carefully, she opened the lid and inside the green velvet lining lay a piece of paper and underneath that a great deal of paper money.

Sasuke had moved quickly in spite of his fatigued body and he was standing next to her and took the box from her grasp. His eyes widened dramatically as he saw the letter addressed to her in Itachi's elegant script. "You knew Itachi?"

"I believe that letter is addressed to me," Sakura said snatching it out of his grasp and not answering his question.

She found her body pressed against the shelves by the heavy weight of Sasuke and he gripped her upper arms hard. He stood nose-to-nose with her-as much as his height would allow-and his hot breath hit her face like a fire-breathing dragon. "I'm not one to be ignored, Sakura." His eyes were crimson and the familiar black commas of the Sharingan began to spin. "And I don't need my sword to be a match for you."

Sakura averted her eyes and focused on his collar bone. "I know Itachi wouldn't want you to seek revenge."

Sasuke shook her roughly. "Did you know Itachi?"

"Not as well as I would have liked," she said raising her eyes and meeting his Sharingan gaze. He released his hold on her arms and stepped back. "Now, do you mind if I read the letter?"

"How did you know it was here? Did Itachi contact you before...before now?"

"Intuition," Sakura answered.

"Bull."

She ignored his skepticism and carefully opened the paper's folds and was met with more of Itachi's elegant scrawl. Her eyes flickered to the insubstantial form of Itachi to her left before back again to the paper. It was hard to fathom that he'd planned this much into the backup plan to this backup plan. Maybe he was a genius after all. Or maybe he just didn't have much of a life aside from his mission to protect Konoha.

Sasuke didn't like her answer, but he didn't take the letter away from her either. Instead, he read over her shoulder and she didn't stop him.

_Sakura,_

_If you're reading this, it means that I'm dead and things didn't go as I had planned regarding my brother, your former teammate. By this time you know the truth behind the family massacre and of the sacrifices I made to protect our beloved village. It won't be easy, but I am counting on you and your teammates to continue my mission to protect the Leaf. I've been paid well over the years and since material possessions hardly travel well for someone living on the road I've stashed away a substantial amount of money. I give it to you and hope it will aid you in your mission and perhaps a nice reward after your success._

_It is a shame we could not have known one another under better circumstances. I am counting on you like I have never counted on anyone before. _

_May the raven keep you safe._

_Itachi _

"That makes no sense," Sasuke growled.

"Why are you following Madara?" Sakura countered.

"Because he's the last of my family! Why did you follow him here?"

"I didn't! And he's the reason Konoha feared your family so much. He's the one that released the kyubi and the reason Naruto lost his whole family. Don't think you're the only victim, Sasuke-_kun_."

"It's not the same," Sasuke muttered. His eyes were flat and the passionate anger that was there moments before seemed to fizzle out.

"Then think about what Itachi would want you to do." Sakura looked back down at the jewelry box and noticed that there was another piece of paper addressed to Sasuke. She glanced over to where Itachi observed everything. He seemed to notice the letter and his eyes widened as if he'd forgotten it was there.

"You'd think he'd want me to go back to Konoha? I just killed the sixth Hokage. I don't think my reception would be particularly warm."

"Danzo did nothing more than a coup to steal the position of Hokage. Shikamaru told me it was supposed to go to Kakashi-sensei, but Danzo convinced the elders otherwise. You did Konoha a favor."

Sasuke fists clenched at his side and he punched the wall angrily. "The elders!"

"Sasuke, you can't keep helping the Akatsuki. It's just a front for Madara. Naruto faced Pain and stopped him, peacefully if you can believe that! Don't you see what you're becoming? Before you were determined to find Itachi and exact your revenge, but you were careful to not kill anyone, aside from Orochimaru, but that was certainly self-defense. What you did today though? You would have killed Karin."

"She was useless and she knew too much," he said looking away.

"Who's idea was it to kill her?"

He didn't answer but his lips tightened.

"It was Madara's idea, wasn't it? Don't you see? He's the real enemy and..." Sakura trailed off as an idea came to her.

"You were doing so well, why did you stop?" Itachi asked. "Look at him. He's actually listening to you."

Sasuke too seemed to have noticed her silence and turned back to her. "What are you thinking?"

"Where is Itachi's body?"

"Sakura, my body's location is irrelevant. Stay focused!" Itachi snapped.

"Madara has it."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe he didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands. Or maybe he's just keeping it around to have an extra set of Uchiha eyes." Sasuke glanced back at the paper in Sakura's hands. "Itachi's gone, Sakura. It looks like you and I are in this together."

"At least we're settled in that," Sakura said. It felt strange for Sasuke to be the one pointing out reason in regards to Itachi's loss. Sakura didn't want to voice her thought just yet. However, the possibility was simply delicious and would present so many solutions. There was probably an entire section in Kabuto's journal devoted to the subject. She held out the second letter she'd found and Sasuke snatched it out her hands.

He read the words quickly and then laughed bitterly.

"What does it say?"

"It says, 'Maybe next time little brother. You have a purpose and it is not revenge. Don't waste your time.'" Sasuke scoffed before folding the letter and stuffing it in his pocket.

"How's your vision, Sasuke-kun?" she asked in a saccharine voice.

"It's shit, Sakura. You going to do something about it?"

"You going to try to kill me again?"

He looked down at his hand-the one that welded the deadly chidori hours ago-and frowned. "No, I don't suppose I am. Frankly, I don't have the energy to do so right now." He looked back up at her and shook his head. "Why couldn't you have just given up on me after I left you on the bench?"

"Because you thanked me and frankly I'd done nothing to be thanked for," Sakura said. Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, she added, "yet."

"So do you have a purpose for abducting me?"

"You recover and then we make some plans to complete Itachi's mission."

"In that case, I'm going back to sleep." He started for the mat before he turned back to her. "I don't suppose there's anything edible here."

"Nothing less than two months old at best. I've a few power-bars, but that's it."

"Maybe we should hunt something down."

"How about I hunt something down and you go to sleep?"

"Don't you trust me, Sakura?" he asked with a familiar smirk she'd not seen in three and a half years.

"Not yet, Sasuke-kun," she said walking toward him and tapping him hard in the forehead with a burst of medical chakra effectively knocking him unconscious.

"Nice move," Itachi complimented as she scooped up Sasuke's body and dumped him on the sleeping mat again.

"Did you really forget about the letter you wrote for him in there?"

"I've had a lot on my mind these past few months."

"I have a favor, would you enter Sasuke's dream? Keep him from wanting to wake up?"

His dark eyes narrowed at her suspiciously. "Something you don't want me to see?"

"Of course not! I just think it might make things easier if you talked to him and convinced him not to kill me."

"I don't know that I can, Sakura." He looked down at his brother with a thoughtful expression. "We share the same blood, so perhaps."

"Do what you will," Sakura said. She went to her bag and pulled out a couple of kunai and replaced Itachi's warm cloak with her more camouflaged Leaf one now that it had dried out. "I'll see if I can get us a rabbit or something."

"Now that is something I can help with," Itachi said with a bemused expression. "Animals sense me so I should be able to direct one toward you for an easy kill."

"I'm a fully qualified kunoichi. Take care of your brother and I'll take care of dinner without your assistance."

**OoO**

It had stopped snowing though it was still quite chilly. Right outside the entrance to the cave there was a letter on a nearby tree pinned in place by a kunai. It was from Kakashi and it was only seven-words long. _ "I trust you know what you're doing."_

So much for Itachi's wards that made it impossible for them to be tracked. There were no footprints in the snow-either hers or Kakashi's. However, that was an easy feat for a trained ninja to infuse their feet with chakra in order to stand above the snow-it was the same method that allowed them to walk on top of water. She felt proud of Kakashi's ability to find her and his determination and his trust. Knowing that he was no nearby and that he had faith in her to let her handle the situation instilled her with a great confidence.

Of course, that confidence in her own abilities quickly deflated when she was about half a kilometer away and found Kakashi walking towards her with a couple of rabbits slung over his shoulder and with Pakkun and Bull at his feet.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura greeted warily.

"Sakura," he greeted with his crinkled-eye smile. "What a surprise? And here I just happen to have two rabbits and not be too terribly hungry. Perhaps you'd like for me to share?"

"I can hunt my own rabbits."

"And just because you don't need my help doesn't mean you shouldn't accept it when it is offered," he said standing before her.

"They're okay, right?"

"Are you referring to the teammates you left unconscious out in the wilds?"

"There was no one in the vicinity aside from Sasuke. They were perfectly safe."

"Then I suppose you don't need to ask about their well-being since you're so sure," he said walking past her and heading toward the Uchiha cave. "Lets eat inside. No need to draw attention to the area unnecessarily."

"There are wards," Sakura protested walking beside him. Bull moved towards her and pushed his nose against her knee. Absently, Sakura took the hint and rubbed him behind the ears as they walked.

"And surely you didn't think those wards were the thing that was keeping me outside."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

Upon entering the cave Kakashi's attention was immediately drawn towards Sasuke's unconscious form in the back.

"Don't worry, he'll be out for another hour."

"Tsunade did teach you well," Kakashi said.

Sakura set up an area for a cooking fire and Kakashi sat across from it and lit it on fire with a jutsu. Sakura sat next to him. He pulled out a knife and started to skin the rabbits intent on spearing them over the fire to cook them thoroughly.

"So, you going to tell me what's going on?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura cast a quick glance toward Sasuke, but there was no sign of Itachi anywhere. Therefore she'd have to tred carefully with her old sensei without the Uchiha genius' advice. And for once in the past several days she was grateful of his absence.

"It's a long story," she hedged.

"I've got all night," he said leaning back lazily. Knowing Kakashi he would stay all night until he received some answers.

"He has to be stopped and I won't risk Naruto's life to save Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. She reached up and began to absently toy with the raven necklace. "I wasn't sure if I could kill him or not by myself. I'm still not sure. But, for Naruto's sake, I have to try and save him."

"For Naruto's sake, eh?" he asked leaning forward and going back to work. "You're not concerned with your own heart?"

Sakura's fingers fell away from the charm and she stared at Kakashi with a solemn expression. "He tried to kill me again today. I'd say the naive little twelve year old I used to be has grown up."

"Look, Sakura, I am quite proud of the accomplishments you've made in the past couple of years, but I'm still worried about you. Abandoning your teammates like you did is uncharacteristic and it makes me question your mental sound being."

"I'm willing to risk my own life, but I will not risk the lives of any of my friends and comrades."

Kakashi paused in his skinning of the rabbits and looked over at her. "Did you ever stop to think that to us you are much more important than a murderous traitor?"

Sakura focused her attention on Kakashi's face and for the first time she could see a deep-seated anger burning in his visible eye. She'd spent the last several years trying to prove herself an asset to Konoha and her friends-had she really forgotten that she'd achieved that goal? "Naruto and I are the only ones that ever had a chance of reaching him. You know that. You also know that Naruto is too important to risk, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi sighed and ran his fingers through his unruly hair. "I suppose this means you realize there is more to this than just trying to save Sasuke?"

"I know Madaara needs him. And Madaara is both Konoha and Naruto's greatest threat. And this is the way I can best serve Konoha and Naruto. Of all of us Madaara will least expect me to have an ulterior motive for allying with Sasuke-kun. He'll assume I'm just the love-struck teen of yesteryears. He's never paid much attention to me in battle. I'm the perfect choice."

"You're the smartest ninja from your class aside from Shikamaru. If you're trying to convince me with logic it won't work. I've lost too many important people to lose you on a fool's errand. I need to know that you believe in this cause."

"I do, Kakashi-sensei. If I can do this then I can save Naruto."

"Fine. Then I'll support your mission. However, I want you to keep Bull with you."

"What?" Sakura asked when the large dog in question bumped his snout against her knee. She rubbed behind his ears like she'd done earlier. "He's the size of a horse and you want me to go sneaking around with him? Don't you think that will be suspicious?"

"He's an asset. Look at Kiba and Akamaru. If you won't take him then I'll have to stay with you myself. I'm not leaving you in this situation alone. You've never been in a war before, Sakura. You don't know what it's like."

Itachi was not going to be happy to learn that she now had a four-legged shadow that Kakashi could trace its location within moments. However, she did kind of like the idea of having the extra protection.

"Fine. What happened to Naruto? Shouldn't you be watching over him and not me? Did he follow you?"

"You were in danger. You're one of my important people, Sakura. Of course I'd check on you. And did you ever doubt that Naruto would follow after you? "

"I suppose not," she said focusing on the color pattern of Bull's fur. "He's all right, right?"

"He's safe. He and Bee-san, the other jinchuruki are training and preparing for the final confrontation with Akatsuki," Kakashi explained. His attention drifted toward Itachi's old red and black cloak hanging on the wall. "Is it your plan to infiltrate?"

"Yes. I think it's the best option. I think I can convince Sasuke of his true loyalties-if not to Konoha then at least to Team Seven. Do you have any advice?"

"Sakura, Itachi was a genius and even he met his demise playing spy games." He pierced one of the rabbits with a stick and placed it over the fire for a slow roast.

Sakura felt a surge of anger at hearing Kakashi speak of Itachi in such a manner. The urge to defend him was more than she could resist. "He was already dying, Kakashi. I think if his health had been better he'd still be serving Konoha in his way."

"Perhaps you're right. It's a real shame." He directed his attention back towards Sasuke. "Lets hope that the last Uchiha has some of his brother's moral fiber and won't continue blind in his hatred."

She followed after Kakashi's gaze to the far side of the cave. "Look at how friendship is Naruto's greatest asset. I think I can find our old Sasuke somewhere in him."

**OoO**

Itachi observed his brother for a long while before he interrupted his dreamscape. It was a serene scene of a bridge in Konoha that he remembered quite well from his youth. Sasuke stood on the bridge with his hands over the rails and stared into the waters.

"I must say I'm a bit disappointed in you, little brother," Itachi said appearing at his pensive brother's side.

Sasuke was startled at the intrusion and turned to face him. His hand had automatically gone to reach for the sword that was usually at his side, but was lacking in the present dream. "Itachi?" he whispered in hopeful disbelief.

Itachi leaned against the railing and folded his arms over his chest and sighed. "I went through so much trouble to keep Konoha safe and here you are siding with the epitome of evil-that would be our great uncle Madaara-to destroy our home."

Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed and a deep frown line appeared between his brows. "Our home was destroyed years ago when you were ordered to slaughter our entire clan."

A soft laugh escaped Itachi's lips. "Can you not let bygones be bygones?"

"Bygones? The death and destruction of our entire blood-relations is what you consider bygones?" Sasuke's hands clinched into fists and his face grew dark red in anger. "Forgive me if I can't ignore that atrocity! It is no laughing matter!"

"You were a child," Itachi said dismissively. "You have no idea what our clan was really like. They'd have destroyed all of Konoha in a heartbeat in order to gain more power and prestige. Our father was the biggest tyrant. He was much worse than Danzo."

"Liar!" Sasuke rushed toward Itachi and tackled him.

Itachi could have avoided the obvious attack, but decided to let his brother work it out of his system. Better that he fight against him in his dreams than try to turn violent again against Sakura when he woke up. Sasuke's hands wrapped around Itachi's throat and he could feel the killing intent in his brother's grip. "Going to kill me again?" It was much easier to speak when one no longer required breathing.

Sasuke's hands loosened immediately and punched Itachi once in the face and then he rolled away.

"Feel better little brother?" Itachi said sitting up and brushing out the wrinkles on his shirt. He stared at his brother with a blank expression.

"This is a dream, right?" Sasuke asked.

"You disappoint me. Why are you asking a rhetorical question?" Itachi answered.

"Fine. How about some brotherly advice? Any idea what I should do about Sakura?"

"Are you asking me what you should do with a girl?" he deadpanned.

"What? No! I'm asking, ugh! Never mind," Sasuke leaned back against the rails of the bridge and folded his arms over his chest.

It appeared to Itachi that Sasuke was sulking in the same manner he used to when he was a five year old. "You finally have a chance to speak with me and you waste your time trying to strangle me and then asking about a girl."

"Obviously I won't ask the right questions. Why don't you just tell me what you think I should know?"

"You should do everything in your power to stop Madaara."

"In case you haven't noticed, _brother_, Konoha is corrupt. Why should I stop Madaara?"

"If you don't you will be choosing to help Madaara kill Naruto," Itachi said bluntly. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably against the railing. "Make Madaara think you are on his side and work with Sakura to infiltrate the Akatsuki. It is my dying request that you protect the people of Konoha."

"Dying request, huh? How come none of my other dreams have involved you telling me what to do?"

"Perhaps your subconscious thinks more logically then your regular mind," Itachi suggested standing up.

"Most of my dreams involve us in that final battle," Sasuke continued. "And now Sakura is somehow involved and you're wanting me to infiltrate the Akatsuki with her?" He walked toward Itachi again and it was interesting that they were now the same height. "You want to know what I think? I think this is some elaborate medical ninjutsu where Sakura has implanting certain thoughts into my head."

"Interesting theory." Itachi then used his signature departure and turned into a flock of ravens and scattered.

**OoO**

Sakura ate some of the rabbit meat. It would have been better marinated with some paprika and lemon juice, but then meals on a mission never were anything spectacular. Kakashi had left about an hour ago and Bull was resting against her with his warm body pressed against her leg was helping to combat the chilly temperature of the cave.

Aside from insisting that she keep Bull her former sensei also gave her a kunai. She didn't know what was special about this particular kunai but it was several years old though it was in good condition. She could tell that it held particular value to Kakashi and that it was well polished and cared for. 'If you ever feel you are in extreme danger and can't see any way out of it, I want you to use this kunai. Help will arrive.'

He'd been vague about how the kunai was supposed to work, but Sakura was no fool. She was the apprentice of the Hokage. And she knew Kakashi's history. The Yellow Flash, the Fourth Hokage, had been his sensei. The Fourth had used tagged kunai to travel instantaneously from one location to another. Kakashi had many abilities, but that was not one of them. She had to wonder how exactly this kunai was supposed to help her. Bull seemed like a much more useful tool.

Across the cave she could see Sasuke start to stir. It didn't take long before he sat up and blinked bleary eyes at her. He took in both the fire and the dog with one glance. "Picked up a little more than a rabbit I see."

"Nothing more loyal than a dog," Sakura said giving Bull an affectionate rub of the ears. "Aren't the Uchiha favorite pets the ninja cats?"

"Indeed, but I'm not a big fan of animals," Sasuke said standing and coming toward Sakura. He sat next to her by the fire and Sakura handed over a bowl with pieces of the meal she and Kakashi had prepared earlier. "Not much a fan of people either," he said pulling out a few pieces of meat with his fingers and bringing them to his mouth. His nose scrunched up in distaste but he continued to eat.

"Sorry, I didn't have anything for flavoring," Sakura apologized feeling responsible for the bitter taste of rabbit. She knew it wasn't her fault, but for some reason around Sasuke she'd always have a little bit of that insecure twelve year old lurking around her psyche. She glanced around the cave and felt disappointed not to see any sign of Itachi. She'd love to know if the older Uchiha had visited his brother's dreams.

"I've eaten worse," Sasuke said reaching for water and drowning out the taste from his mouth. He looked over at her with an unreadable expression. "Anything exciting happen while I was out?" His gaze flicked down at Bull. "Like how you picked up one of Kakashi's dogs?"

"I used him earlier to track you. I thought he'd go back to Kakashi, but apparently he decided to wait for me."

"I see." Sasuke set aside his bowl and water. "What is the plan then, Sakura?"

"You're going to continue to work with Madaara and I'm coming with you. Together we'll stop him. It's what your brother wanted."

"And what do you want, Sakura?"

"I want to make sure Naruto becomes Hokage."

"Hn."

Sakura poked at the fire and hoped that Itachi would show up soon. She didn't think she'd be able to stand too much time alone with Mr. Personality.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

Sakura flipped the page completely entranced by Kabuto's research. It was appalling to think of all the people who had no doubt suffered when he acquired the research, but she could definitely use their sacrifices to try and make something good. The section on regeneration of organs alone would save countless lives that would otherwise need a transplant of heart, kidney, liver, or even skin. The problem seemed to stem from not having a firm grasp on growth of the new cells which could rapidly turn into cancer cells if their multiplication had no set parameters.

The candle light wasn't particularly bright, but it was enough for her to read. She'd been sitting at the solitaire table near the book cases for the past two hours. Sasuke had sat with his back against the wall. She wasn't sure if he was sleeping, meditating, or just what. As long as he was on the other side of the room from her she didn't much mind.

"So..."

"So?" Sakura asked bringing her eyes up from Kabuto's journal. She and Sasuke had been sitting silently for hours now. It was surprising that he'd be the one to break the spell considering her history as a chatterbox back when they were teammates.

"You do realize that Madaara is very dangerous," Sasuke said rising from his side of the cave and walking towards her. He sat next to her at the small table and glanced down at her book and Sakura snapped it shut hoping his Sharingan didn't memorize anything in that brief moment. "What are you reading?"

"You're awful talkative," she said evasively.

"And you're awful reticent."

"It's a medical journal. And yes, I realize Madaara is dangerous. He was the rival of the First Hokage. He's the one responsible for releasing the Nine-tails when we were just infants that resulted in great loses for all of Konoha-including Naruto's parents. He helped Itachi kill your entire clan. He was the one pulling the strings on Pain in the Akatsuki. Any other details you want me to spell out for you so you can trust I know he's a dangerous sort? How about that he's over a hundred years old and is as athletic as Kakashi-sensei?"

"You seem to have given this a lot of thought," he muttered. He reached out to the candle and began to manipulate the flame with his finger causing it to dance alternating between stages of wax and wane in some unheard cadence.

"I don't rush into things. I think them through. I'm very analytical."

He dropped his hand. "You think things through?" he echoed. "I almost killed you earlier. I would have-don't think I wouldn't have. I don't know what stopped me, but you'd have been dead. Did you think that through?"

Sakura's face lost all expression and her eyes were cold and flat. "My blade was poisonous. I would have taken you down with me."

'_You know, when you say it like that, I almost believe you,' _Itachi's voice whispered in her ear. Sakura jumped slightly at his unannounced entrance. She was grateful he was back even if she was the only one to hear his voice. Maybe she was turning schizophrenic? What if all those people institutionalized for hearing voices were just hearing ghosts? This could be a whole different realm of paranormal science-based medical research. Maybe Kabuto had a section on it in his journal.

"I don't know where your mind went right then, but that's what's going to get you killed. You're unfocused. And you didn't think that through very well. I've been Orochimaru's apprentice. You don't think my tolerance to poisons can withstand anything you might throw at me?"

"I was the apprentice of the Hokage and also the poisons expert of Suna. If anyone had the capability of making a poison specific to you, Sasuke-_kun_, it would have been me."

"Let's spar."

That was-unexpected. Sakura stared at her new partner dumbfounded by his random request. Even when they were on Team Seven together they never sparred against each other. It was always him with either Naruto or Kakashi. She sparred with both Naruto and Kakashi enough times over the years that she felt confident even if the sparring was limited to tai-jutsu.

"Look, I know I'm still recovering from my battles but I can't just sit around. I'm likely to go mad."

Too late, Sakura thought. "All right. Hand-to-hand, no chakra enhancement and no weapons." Sakura gave a wry smile. "I'd destroy this cave if I used chakra."

'_Don't disappoint me_._'_ Itachi's disembodied voice drifted towards her.

Sakura braced herself in a fighting stance with her legs in a back stance ready for defense and her arms raised to block any incoming blows. She waited for Sasuke to make the first move. She'd learned the hard way that defense and patience won most battles, unless you had the stamina of Naruto-he could just rush in and fight until his opponent passed out.

She didn't have to wait long, Sasuke moved faster than her eye could follow and the next thing she knew he was standing right behind her with his chest pressed against her back and one arm curled around her neck and the other clutching her wrist. "Nice stance, but it won't do you much good against me," he whispered in her ear.

Sasuke's move might have been impressive, but since to her it was an old move frequently used by one Neji Hyuga when he used to try and steal kisses from her when they'd dated, it was easy to counter. Sakura turned her head at just such an angle that she would kiss him if she wanted to and she brushed her lips against his. She used his moment of shock to bite down hard on his lip, slam her free hand into his groin and spin out of his grasp.

Of course, poor Neji only suffered that painful fate once when he'd made some comment about foreheads. It wasn't until after she hit him in the groin that she had realized he was talking about his own tattooed forehead and it had nothing to do with the self-conscious worries she had about her own.

The sound of Itachi's quiet laughter brought Sakura out of her reminiscing and she focused on her teammate sprawled on the ground in front of her.

Sasuke glared up at her with venom in his expression and then swept his feet catching her at the ankles and causing her to trip on top of him. She used the momentum of her fall and turned sideways so that her elbow landed in Sasuke's midsection sending his air rushing out of his lungs thanks to the pressure against his diaphragm. She positioned her knee threateningly into his groin.

"Where did you learn that move?" Sasuke gasped red in the face and not moving a muscle.

"Sparring with Neji," Sakura answered. "Are you yielding all ready?"

"I'm thinking I approached this the wrong way."

"He's flat on his back and he thinks he approached it the wrong way?" Itachi asked with amusement lacing his otherwise bland tone. His figure crouched over Sasuke and Sakura's head. "I didn't realize you were dating Hyuga," he added in a voice lacking any inflection.

Sakura ignored Itachi and rose to her feet. She thought about offering her hand to Sasuke to help him up, but then decided against it thinking the odds of him pulling her down and taking advantage in her lapse in guard would be too great. From the corner of her eye she noticed that Bull had his attention riveted toward Itachi's ghostly form. Could the dog see him too?

Sasuke stood up slowly and raised his arms in a defensive stance mimicking her earlier form. "Let's do simple blocks to work on reflexes," he suggested before he started jabbing his fist towards her. Sakura blocked with a down sweep of her hand and blocked with her forearm and repeated the blocks with his successive punches and then kicks.

"So, you're dating Hyuga? Isn't he betrothed to his cousin?" Sasuke asked as he continued his onslaught of kicks and punches. If she didn't know better she'd think there was a hint of jealousy in his tone. "To preserve their precious bloodline?"

"Past tense. We tried dating, but with everything that's happened in the past year it became impossible." She barely caught a high face punch he sent her way. "With him training to join Anbu and me taking various missions with Naruto we never saw each other. The closest we ever got to go on a date would be sparring practices or the few missions we had together-nothing very romantic about either. When war threatens your village its hard to go see a movie with your boyfriend. We spent most of our relationship worrying about each other."

"Just because you don't see someone doesn't mean you won't worry about them," Sasuke said as Sakura started punching and kicking towards him and he started blocking.

"You've never worried about anyone but yourself," Sakura said putting more force behind her blows.

Sasuke continued to deflect Sakura's attacks. "I left Konoha because my worry for you and Naruto was interfering with my revenge." Sakura stopped her punches and angled a turn kick for Sasuke's side. He caught her leg and held it there. "Distance doesn't make worry lessen."

Itachi began to circle around them. "He's right about that, Sakura."

"All worry accomplishes is distraction," Sakura said pulling her leg out of Sasuke's hold. She wouldn't allow herself to worry. She'd drive herself mad if she thought about the precious lives she didn't want to think about possibly losing. Her relationship with Neji had moved at a pace too serious and too fast. Naruto was her priority-he was the hope of all Konoha and her best friend. If it meant siding with a ghost of a thought-to-be-traitor-which-was-in-fact-a-double-a gent-spy and his deranged younger brother then so be it.

"I think we've sparred enough. I have more reading to do," Sakura said moving away from Sasuke and going back to her table. She shuffled through the books she had spread across the area and settled on the one about the ophthalmic system-this particular edition had been a gift from Hinata.

Itachi followed her and Bull trudged over toward Sasuke. The Uchiha teenager reluctantly indulged the large dog in a gentle rub behind the ears.

"I now understand why the Hyuga boy requested you so much in the hospital," Itachi said sitting in the unoccupied chair to her side.

"We're just friends," Sakura muttered ignoring the penetrating gaze he sent her way.

**OoO**

"This isn't going to work," Sasuke said under his breath. "I never understood anything Itachi did and I certainly don't understand why he wanted us working together." He angled his face so he could lock eyes with her. "If this is some elaborate scheme of his to revive the Uchiha clan..."he trailed off.

"You lost _that_ opportunity long ago. No doubts, Sasuke-_kun_," Sakura hissed through clenched teeth. "Confidence is key. You play your part and I'll play mine. If nothing else, we're doing this for Naruto. And for the record Naruto and I make a great team and so I think that you and I could make a good team."

They approached a thick copse of trees and Madaara was standing on one of the lower branches wearing his swirly orange mask. His black Akatsuki cloak flapped behind him in the wintery breeze.

"Madaara-sama," Sasuke greeted respectfully by dipping his head in a brief bow.

"Sasuke," Madaara rejoined with his attention focused on Sakura and Itachi's Akatsuki cloak that she wore across her shoulders. "Why do you have a Konoha ninja with you wearing Itachi's old cloak?"

"Karin was useless so I rid myself of her. Sakura is the strongest konochi in Konoha aside from the Hokage. She has and always will be loyal to me." Sasuke moved close to Sakura and slipped his hand inside her cloak to wrap around her waist and draw her against him. He turned his face and brought his nose right behind her ear and drew a deep breath. "She has been mine since we were twelve. We trained separately so that when the time came she'd be of greatest use. And she calms me."

"It is important to keep a calm mentality," Madaara agreed vanishing in a whirl of blackness and reappearing directly in front of Sasuke and Sakura.

'_He just manipulated time and space. Only he and Naruto's father, the Fourth Hokage, have been able to do so at such a degree,'_ Itachi explained. His voice steeled Sakura's confidence and she was able to keep herself from tensing at both the villain's proximity and Sasuke's invasion of her personal space.

"I've seen her fight alongside Naruto. I don't see her betraying him for you, Sasuke," Madaara said in a flat voice.

Sakura pulled closer to Sasuke in spite of herself at the coldness radiating from Madaara. He was right, she'd never betray Naruto for Sasuke-not after everything they had been through together. Could she fool such a master of deception? Itachi seemed to think she could pull it off.

"She was always mine," Sasuke growled possessively.

"I suppose she is pretty enough, but Sasuke you don't have time for one such as her. It would be better to visit the occasional brothel." Madaara flipped his wrist back in a carefree gesture of flippancy. "Less clingy. You know it is unhealthy to have any attachments."

"I can heal his eyes," Sakura said annoyed that Madaara had been talking as if she wasn't present and comparing her to a prostitute.

"Unnecessary. All he needs is a transplant of Itachi's eyes." Madaraa reached out and touched a strand of Sakura's pink hair and rubbed it between his thumb and index finger. "I suppose it would be easier to use a trained medic to go about the transplant. It would be less messy."

"You have Itachi's body?" Sakura asked, unable to stop herself. Sasuke's arm around her tightened in silent warning.

"You think I'd let those Konoha barbarians take it back? They'd dissect it and try to keep his DNA on file so they could genetically engineer more little Uchihas to have at their beck and call. They thought they had Itachi under their thumb. He was always mine to control."

The form of Itachi materialized behind Madaara. The sight of him caused the words of protest that had been forming in Sakura's mind to die before they reached her tongue and could be voiced-thankfully. Sasuke's submissive girlfriend wouldn't defend Konoha after all the village had done to the Uchiha clan.

"Whatever you're thinking of saying-don't," Itachi warned. "Let Madaara think he's in control. That's how I survived all those years. Overconfidence is what defeats the mightiest foes."

"Madaara-sama, did you wish for us to leave or do you want to continue talking in the woods where someone might find us?" Sasuke asked quietly.

Madaara's attention focused on Sasuke. "Interesting how polite and respectful you are now that you've a toy you want to keep." His hands touched a shoulder of Sasuke and a shoulder of Sakura. "Then shall we be off?"

"Wait!" Sakura said when the world started to spin and the sound of a growling dog came from her heel. The sensation stopped abruptly. "My dog, Bull."

"I've only got two hands," Madaara said impatiently. "If you want to bring along your mutt one of you will have to carry him." He glanced down at the large dog and broke out into hysterical laughter. "That's not a dog! That's a horse!"

Sasuke bent at the waist and hoisted the large dog up into his arms. Sakura could tell it was a strain as the ligaments in his neck strained even with his strength. She reached over with chakra enhanced arms and took Bull from him with a twinkle of amusement in her eye at Sasuke's wide-eyed expression. He put his arm back around her and looked at Madaara expectantly.

The hysterical laughter stopped abruptly as Madaara gave Sakura a curious look. "Anything else you want to bring along? A RV perhaps?"

"No, Madaara-sama," Sakura said in as demure a voice as possible.

"Good, because we're leaving," Madaara said placing his hands back on their shoulders. Sakura knew he was manipulating time and space as Itachi had explained. She only hoped that wherever they ended up she wouldn't have any extra body parts or find herself merged with either Sasuke or Bull when their molecular structure was dissolved and then reformed.

The world had shifted into shades of black and grey before it stopped spinning and Sakura could feel the firmness of the earth beneath her feet. Bull whimpered quietly and Sasuke's arm was like a steel vice around her waist.

Madaara's hand was removed from her shoulder and vivid color and stability greeted her as they reached their destination. It looked like they were at the outskirts of a small village deep within the woods. There was a cottage not too far from them and a garden.

Madaara began leading the way toward the cottage and Sasuke released his arm from around her and gestured for her to follow with him. She set Bull down and the three followed after the Akatsuki leader.

The cottage was an elaborate ruse. Madaara led them through to the basement where a verifiable underground fortress was hidden. She wondered if Itachi's body was stored somewhere on the property, but given Madaara's manipulation of time and space she doubted if Itachi's body was even on the planet.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:**

Bull kept close to Sakura's legs as she followed behind Madaara and Sasuke into the current labyrinth of the Akatsuki living quarters. The corridor was narrow and there wasn't much room for both her and the massive dog, but they managed to fit. Itachi's ghostly figure had vanished again. It was really disturbing how he'd simply vanish and then reappear at seemingly random moments. She wondered if he was observing invisibly or if he'd gone to some unknown location-perhaps one even he didn't know about.

She had to admit there was a fear that he'd just suddenly vanish permanently on her and then she'd be stuck in the midst of the Akatsuki with men who wanted to kill her and destroy her village.

"And these rooms over here will be yours," Madaara said stopping next to a pair of doors at the end of the hall. It would certainly make it more difficult to sneak out with all the echoing stone floor and the great length it would take to travel from those doors to the building's exit. "They used to belong to Itachi and Kisame."

"We appreciate your hospitality, Madaara-sama," Sakura said when Sasuke simply glared at his ancestor. Perhaps he didn't want to be sleeping in the room of the brother he killed, but now realized truly was his beloved older brother and no traitor but rather one who sacrificed everything for his sake.

Madaara started laughing hysterically once again, sounding just like his silly Tobi persona. "Perhaps he takes after Itachi after all! The sullen, silent type." He stopped laughing abruptly and turned to Sakura and she carefully avoided his visible eye. "I hope you are not like the shark man, Sakura-chan! You will have to floss after every meal!"

Bull nudged Sakura in the back of her knee. "While I agree that flossing is important, I can assure you that I am not like Kisame," Sakura said.

"Feel free to roam about the compound," Madaara said walking away from them and back toward the central part of the residence. "You won't find anything I don't intend for you to find, so don't waste your time. I'll send news of your next assignment shortly."

Sakura waited until Madaara was no longer in sight before she reached out for the door knob. Sasuke stopped her with his hand wrapped around her wrist. "Let me check it out first. If this was truly Itachi's room then it is most likely booby trapped."

He had a good point, but then Sakura liked to think that if the place was rigged with explosive devices that her guardian ghost would have showed up and walked her through the disarmament. And therefore with his not being present as a warning deterrent ergo the coast was clear. And aside from that having Sasuke take charge and keeping her out of harm's way reminded her too much of her pre-teen years when she was practically useless as a team member-she was neither weak nor useless any more.

"All right," she agreed releasing the knob and stepping back. If there was the off chance that there was indeed some sort of explosive device she'd much rather it hit Sasuke than her. Of course, if Neji had been with her he'd have used his enhanced vision to see if there were any traps. It probably would be wise to not mention that fact to her current partner. The boy already had an inferiority complex-there was no need to further exacerbate it! Her thoughts also drifted to other team mates. Sai would have had one of his ink creations slip into the room and inspect it for anything suspicious and Naruto would have charged in and with his enhanced healing abilities would have recovered the hard way from any traps.

Sasuke started to turn the knob, but paused and glared at her over his shoulder as if he'd heard her thoughts about Neji, Sai, and Naruto. She smiled encouragingly and he averted his eyes and pushed open the door.

He scanned the room, his dark eyes darting to every corner. His Sharingan activated to see if there were any traps laid beyond the visible spectrum. And then Bull pushed himself past Sasuke's legs and caused the rogue ninja to slightly lose his balance and stumble into the room. Bull settled himself at the foot of the bed as if he were home, he walked in a circle with his tail wagging and his nose sniffing the floor and then plopped down on his rump and stared at them expectantly as they remained near the doorway.

"I guess that means the coast is clear," Sakura said with a cheery smile. She was grateful that of all the dogs Kakashi had insisted she take that he'd chosen Bull. He was a giant of a dog and if any dog would help her keep Sasuke at bay it would be a dog that was about the same mass as him.

"That dog could have gotten us both killed," Sasuke growled straightening himself and glaring at the affronting dog at the foot of the bed. Bull's tongue lolled out and he barked once and kept his tag wagging playfully. Apparently, Sasuke scare tactics failed to work on the dog.

"But he didn't. Itachi wouldn't let us just walk in here if he'd left a trap that could kill us," Sakura said moving toward the bed and falling back onto the soft mattress and wrapping up in the comforter. It was definitely Itachi's room-the comforter had the same scent as his cloak. Other than the bed, a dresser in the corner, and an uncluttered desk with some spare parchment and a set of ink pens the room was empty.

"Itachi's dead. He couldn't stop us if he wanted to," Sasuke said moving to the opposite side of the bed and sitting down with his back against the headrest.

"I wouldn't say that," Sakura said quietly. "With as far as he has planned out things who's to say this wasn't exactly what he thought would happen." She kicked off her shoes and started rubbing her toes across Bull's belly. He seemed to enjoy the attention.

"A letter for guidance and some petty cash is hardly enough proof for you to assume everything is safe regarding him. Even dead, Itachi is a powerful adversary, but he's not a god and he certainly isn't omnipotent regardless of this hero-complex you seem to have developed on him."

Sakura fought a grin. The boy had no idea just how correct in that Itachi was still a powerful adversary considering it was Itachi that had stayed Sasuke's hand when he attempted to kill her a few days ago by chopping her in half with his blade. "I don't know why you're getting all comfortable on the bed. This is my room," Sakura said arching her neck and looking at Sasuke from her angle.

"He's my brother."

"And you killed him and I'm a girl and I don't want to sleep in the shark man's room."

"You've your dog. I'm sure he can keep you safe from the big, bad wolf."

"I'm not worried about the big, bad wolf. I'm worried about the big, scary shark with the rows and rows of sharp teeth."

Sasuke folded his arms over his chest.

"Well I'm not leaving," Sakura said.

"Neither am I."

"There are so many extra rooms in this maze of a complex. You can stay in one of the other rooms. I'm sure you're uncle wouldn't mind."

"My uncle wants to keep us together where he can keep a close eye on us and since you're my _woman_ it makes sense to put us in adjoining rooms."

"What if Kisame comes back? Would you want to have him walk in on you in his bed?"

Sasuke shuddered. "I see your point. We can share this room. We've done it before on missions."

"Twelve year olds sharing a bed is different from a couple of seventeen year olds," Sakura pointed out.

Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned back his head. "You planning on ravaging me, Sakura?"

"You wish," she answered before fighting off a yawn. Why was she so tired? Maybe there were some side effects to the whole time-space-multidimensional travel that lead to exhaustion for those unused to the process.

She couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard Sasuke say, 'If you only knew,' before she drifted off into sleep.

Sakura found herself once again on the familiar Konoha training grounds. This particular location was the one Ino and Shikamaru's team utilized the most before Asuma's death. Itachi was sitting lotus-style in the middle of the field with his eyes closed in a meditative pose. Sakura moved to sit beside him but with her legs stretched out in front of her.

"Do you like my quarters at the Akatsuki hide out?" he asked without otherwise acknowledging her presence.

"It's a bit spartan, but your bed is really comfortable."

"I used to have a wall scroll of the Golden Temple of Kyoto on the wall over the desk, but its gone now," Itachi said in defense. "It's best not to let a group of sadistic terrorists know what things you care about most. I worked hard to give them no ammunition to use against me. Only Kisame might have held suspicions of my true loyalty to Konoha."

"Should I be worried about him then?"

Itachi's eyes snapped open and the ebony pools of darkness she'd grown accustomed to stared back at her. "You should be scared out of your mind of him."

"Great."

"However, I didn't say you should be worried. Kisame and I were friends. He suspected in my last couple of months that I had an odd fixation with you. He will harm neither you nor Sasuke. His target is Naruto. Though, right now it may be more Bee."

"That's good to know. I have absolute faith in Naruto. If he can defeat Pain he should be able to survive your best friend. But I'm still not sleeping in his room."

"It's great that you are so devoted to your friend," Itachi murmured. He cleared his throat and turned towards her. "I'm not sure that sharing a bed with my brother is a better alternative that Kisame's room. If you take into account that Kisame has never tried to kill you and that Sasuke has-a couple of times now-you might find folly in your logic. Sharing a bed with the man who tried to kill you is not something I'd expect the most intelligent girl at the academy in the last decade to decide is the safer option."

"Bull can sleep between us. He's probably even more effective a barrier than Naruto ever was in our Genin days."

"Technically, Sasuke is still a Genin." Itachi pulled out a kunai from the inner folds of his shirt and began to twirl it idly in one of his hands.

"I wonder how'd he feel if I were to point that out to him," Sakura mused tapping her lip.

"Like a homicidal maniac." Itachi set down the kunai and reached over and pulled Sakura's hand away from her face. He started tracing the lines that were etched across her palm. "It's a lie that you can predict the future based on lines in your palms. If that were true I'd still be alive."

"So fortune tellers are a sham, was there a point you were trying to make?" Sakura asked snatching her hand away uncomfortable with the warm, tingling sensations Itachi's fingertips were causing. Her dreams with him were disturbingly realistic.

His posture slouched. "I think I'm depressed."

"You can't be depressed. You're a ghost."

"I don't think there is anything more I can do. Maybe my business is complete and I should just-" he paused and threw his hand into the air in frustration, "cross over," he said completing his thought.

"No!" Sakura shouted turning so that she faced Itachi directly. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight. "Don't you dare leave me in the middle of this mess! I need you! You have to guide me through this!"

"Sakura," Itachi said lightly placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her away so he could look into her eyes. "I'm very tired. You're a strong konichi and I have great faith that you and Sasuke working together will save Konoha and put an end to Madara when Naruto finishes his training and joins up with you. There's never been a team stronger than Kakashi's Team Seven. And that's not even taking into account the loyalty and devotion of your other friends and teammates-like Hyuga."

"You're bringing Neji into this? What? Are you jealous about my ex-boyfriend? Don't you dare give up Itachi Uchiha! I need you!" For a moment it seemed like his dream body shimmered and lost some of its solidity. Sakura clutched at him and tears sprang to her eyes. "Do not leave me. I need you," she whispered with her face pressed against his collar. She could feel the warmth of his flesh against her cheek. He seemed so real.

"I may not have a choice. I've been losing blocks of time. It was not my intention to let you go down the corridors of this place without me at your side, but I was simply not here. I don't know where I was exactly. It was like a void with no stimulus."

"Itachi, your body is here. Maybe we could..."

"No!" Itachi said pushing her away and rising to his feet. "If I were to see my body I'm sure I would feel closure and vanish. If you want me so badly you must at all costs stay away from my body." His eyes bored deeply into hers and she saw fear in his dark depths. "Do you understand, Sakura?"

"Maybe, with Kabuto's techniques I can find a way to reconnect your soul with your body." She stood and grasped his hands. "Maybe I can heal you!"

"Did you not just agree that fortune tellers are a myth? Death is permanent. And I don't want to be alive in that body. You have no idea how ill I was for these past few years."

"But I can fix it! I can fix you!"

"Some things, Sakura, are not meant to fixed," he said pulling out of her grasp. "Very well, I will do my best to stay with you. Perhaps there is something more we can do that might encourage my spirit to stay in your proximity." He posed himself into a fighting stance. "In the mean time, I shall give you a sparring contest worthy of a challenge unlike my foolish little brother."

**OoO**

Sakura felt her shoulder being shaken and her dream with Itachi vanished in an instant. Her last vision of the man was of a sad expression in his dark eyes. She sat up and promptly bumped foreheads with Sasuke.

"Try to be a little less violent with your partner," Sasuke grumbled rubbing his forehead with a sour expression. He was sitting at Itachi's desk on her side of the bed. "Did you take some sort of sedative? You were rather difficult to wake up."

"I was tired-most likely a side-effect of the teleportation technique that brought us here." Sakura looked around the room to see if sunlight was spilling in through the curtains to signify morning, but then realized they were underground and there were no windows. "Why'd you wake me? Is Kisame back?"

"No. But there is some food if you're hungry."

Sakura noticed there was a tray on Itachi's desk with rice balls and an assortment of sushi. "That's not Kisame right?"

Sasuke snorted and seemed surprised by his own response to the jest. "It's safe. I had some earlier and I'm still alive." He handed her a cup of Jasmine Green Tea. "Why don't you drink some of this first? Free up some of those free radicals of yours."

"If I didn't know any better I'd think that was an attempt at humor," Sakura said accepting the cup of tea and wrapping her hands around it. "Do you have any food for Bull?"

"He already ate his share," Sasuke said gesturing toward the giant dog who was sleeping in front of the door.

"When did he move over there?"

"After he ate."

They sat silently for a while both drinking their tea. Sasuke was the one to disturb the tentative peace. "Do you ever think about what it would have been like if I hadn't left?"

Sakura set down her cup of tea and placed her forearms on her thighs and leaned closer to Sasuke. "It's possible that we might have grown together as a team. We'd probably be a very good team working together dependent on one another with a solid trusting foundation. However, because you abandoned us, Naruto and I did what we had to and grew stronger individually. Now, if we were to all reunite as a team we'd be unstoppable if we still had the trust of our youth."

"I really didn't have a choice." He popped a rice roll into his mouth and chewed slowly with a sullen expression on his face. " I would have driven myself insane if I'd stayed."

"Yes, you are so obviously sane now." Sakura's eyes roamed throughout the room in search of any sign of Itachi. Once again she was disappointed to see nothing indicating his presence.

"More sane than you it seems. What are you looking for?"

"I'm a ninja and therefore I observe at all times."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen:**

Sakura stared at the scroll in disbelief. They'd been in the compound for an entire day and hadn't met any other occupants and yet all ready had their first dispatch orders. The mission was simple enough. They had to deliver a document to a rogue ninja in Lightning Country. It seemed that Naruto and Killer-Bee were the only missing links in Madaara's plan and the latter was from Lightning. However, that didn't explain where the other living members of the Akatsuki were.

"You can keep staring at the scroll, but the orders won't change," Sasuke said. He was packing a satchel with food, weapons, and a change of clothing. He tossed a second satchel toward Sakura.

Absently, she caught the bag and set aside the scroll. Bull came over to her side and nudged at her knees requesting attention. Sakura gave his ears a quick rub before she started loading her own bag. She did pack Kabuto's journal, but otherwise left all her other books stacked neatly on the corner of Itachi's desk. She tossed in a change of clothes, food, and weapons. She strapped the kunai Kakashi had given her on her leg.

"That's new," Sasuke observed staring at the kunai.

"How would you know if something was new or old? You've been absentee for quite some time."

"Because the Bingo books don't list you as utilizing kunai aside from the explosive ones."

"I'm in the Bingo book?" The idea was pretty ego-inflating.

"All of Team Seven is in the Bingo Book," Sasuke said. " Even Sai," he added as a grudging afterthought.

The idea of running across Naruto while on this mission for the Akatuski was worrisome. What if he thought she'd truly turned traitor? It was ridiculous to think he wouldn't trust her, but she was over her head and their last meeting hadn't exactly gone according to plan. She wasn't duplicitous-especially since even Naruto could tell when she was up to something- and without the coaching of Itachi she didn't think she could pull it off. The problem was Itachi kept disappearing.

She slung the satchel across her shoulders and started for the door. If she ran into Naruto she'd simply let him know that they were both in the Bingo book. He'd be so proud of that achievement that he'd quickly forget anything odd with their meeting up. And if that didn't work there was always Ramen. Then again if she showed up with Sasuke he probably wouldn't pay her much attention as he'd be too focused on his wayward Uchiha best friend.

She started to pull on the black and red cloud insigna cloak of their new gang when Sasuke grabbed her wrist and shook his head.

"Madaara wants us to travel anonymously."

"Funny I don't remember any of the other Akatsuki traveling without them."

"I've never worn one and I've been part of this since Itachi's death."

"No problem," Sakura said shedding the cloak. "It seems these things are cursed anyway if the death ratio of former Akatsuki members is any indication."

Sasuke scowled at her and released her wrist. Perhaps he didn't care for the reminder at he killed Itachi. He handed her the snow cloak she had from Konoha and put on a similar one before leaving the room without another word.

**OoO**

It was understandable that Madaara didn't trust them entirely. Once again he teleported them away from the Akatsuki compound. They were given a return location where he'd transport them back to headquarters after their mission was completed-in seventy-two hours. The fact that they weren't trusted didn't bother her, but Sasuke was clearly annoyed.

"I am his own blood and he still hasn't trusted me to the actual location of the headquarters," Sasuke grumbled. They were running on their way to Lightning and they'd been on their journey for over two hours. The fact that Sasuke waited for that time to pass before voicing his grief showed that while he'd been silent he'd been dwelling on his bitterness the whole time. No wonder he'd gone after Itachi his whole life. If there was one thing Sasuke was good at it was nursing his sense of betrayal.

"He's not an idiot and when you make a career out of betraying everyone around you one tends to expect behavior reflective on that to be directed back." Sakura paused next to Bull who was in the lead. The large dog was whining and was sniffing at the base of a frost covered evergreen bush. "Maybe you remind him of himself," Sakura said as she crouched to see what had caught Bull's attention.

The thin layer of snow was disturbed by an obvious fight scene with broken branches in nearby shrubbery and deep gouges within the snow drifts. There was a trail of blood that had congealed in the frigid temperatures and marked the incident to have taken place at least an hour before their arrival.

Sasuke pulled out a pair of throwing stars and began to circle the perimeter while Sakura and Bull sniffed out the victim. A missing shoe was the next clue and Sakura worried that even though it appeared the victim had been alive during the struggle the chances of staying alive in the harsh winter environment weren't favorable and whomever was involved in the struggle it looked like frostbite wasn't going to be their main problem. She picked up the furlined winterwear shoe and let Bull lead towards the owner.

The ninja was a young woman with the Cloud insigna on her forehead protector and with a long brown coat that was shredded and congealed with blood. Sakura felt for her carotid pulse and found none and by the sight of her head wound it wouldn't have taken long for her to succumb to the cold.

A chain with spiked balls on the end whirled through the air and wrapped around Bull's legs causing the great beast to fall to the ground roped like a rodeo calf. Sakura readied her fists and scanned the location where the projectile had come, but the ninja teleported and was no longer there leaving only black ash in his stead. The sharp edge of steel pressed against Sakura's throat and a taller more sturdy body was lined up against her back.

"Be a good time to drop your weapon sweetheart," the man said near her ear with his hot breath warming her chilled skin.

Sakura didn't say a word worried that the action of speaking might cause the blade to bite sharper into her throat. She dropped her kunai without a second thought-that was hardly her weapon. Little did the man behind her know that her weapon was her fists. She focused her chakra and waited for the right moment to act while Bull growled angrily while fiercely gnawing at his restraints.

"My partner accidentally killed the other konichi before I was ready, so I must congratulate you on your perfect timing to investigate this area," the man continued. The blade held firm and Sakura closed her eyes and took a steadying breath.

She focused a surge of chakra toward her neck where the blade made contact with her skin as well as her fists. And with a shout of outrage Sakura pushed the blade away from her neck with the force of her chakra alone and slammed back her fists to the man's hips shattering his pelvic bones. He crumbled to the ground in agony but held tight to his blade and thrust it toward Sakura stabbing her in the lower abdomen-the dagger went through muscles and only nicked the viscera.

Sakura stepped back and fell against Bull. Using a chakra blade she released the ninja dog from his bindings before she pressed her left hand firmly against her wound. She focused on stopping the bleeding-she'd deal with a complete healing when the opportunity presented itself.

"You must hurry," Itachi said, showing up next to her. He looked down at the fallen ninja with a disgusted look before looking back at her. "You have one life. Do not waste it."

"I wasn't planning on it," Sakura muttered looking around in search of her missing teammate. Was he in trouble? There was a whistling sound just to the right of her ear and a thud into the tree trunk next to her.

"Poisoned darts. Keep your wits," Itachi warned before he vanished once more but this time he left a brief trail of bright red light leading deeper into the woods.

"I'm getting sick of his coming and going," she said to Bull before taking off after the red light.

"She's coming your way!" the fallen ninja shouted. Bull growled and then fell upon the man who was effectively silenced after passing out with the weight on his chest and the lack of Oxygen to his brain.

"Should have done that earlier," Sakura said shaking her head and cautiously following Itachi's trail hoping to avoid obvious detection.

Sasuke was surrounded by five men. He was actively engaged in a sword fight with three of them but they weren't taking turns and the Uchiha heir was hard pressed. Sakura gathered chakra into her fist and slammed it into the ground shattering the earth and sending everyone to the knees.

Unfortunately, the movement also uprooted a tree and it happened to land on the back of Sasuke.

Sakura now found herself outnumbered five to one with her teammate unconscious on the ground. Bull caught up to her and looked up at her with an expression that said 'oh crap' and she couldn't have agreed more. At least Bull couldn't talk.

"Wasn't that considerate of you, konichi," the red-haired man on the far right in winter fatigues said. "You didn't want to share our attention so you kindly asked your teammate to step aside, am I right?"

The red light flickered in Sakura's periphery near Sasuke's body and then vanished. Her hope of Itachi materializing and coaching her through the fight she'd just entered vanished with it. That was fine. She was a hardened ninja of the Hidden Leaf and apprentice of the Hokage. She could handle a handful of cross ninjas.

"It wasn't my intention, gentlemen, I assure you," Sakura said with a charming smile.

"I don't suppose it was," the man in the middle said as the group began to form a semi-circle and move in on her.

Sakura readied her fists. "I won't make this easy on you."

"Yeah, baby, make us work for it," the first man on the right said pulling a set of four blades into his hand and sending them flying towards her.

Sakura used her kunai to deflect them and would have really appreciated the assistance of Neji with his spinning deflection maneuver at that moment or Naruto and his limitless clones. The charm of her necklace grew red hot against her chest-was Itachi's blood causing a reaction because she was now in mortal danger?

The tree that fell upon Sasuke shifted and his body was no longer under it as a flock of ravens escaped. He moved outside of time and space leaving an odd shifting of the space around them with black smoke distortion. "I can't leave you alone for a moment," he said in a bland, unemotional voice. His left arm was held closely across his stomach and his right hand fell limply at his side.

He raised his right hand to form a symbol near his lips. "Fire Release, Great Fireball technique!" The Uchiha huffed out a great burst of fire from his lips causing the attackers to fall back as the flames engulfed them.

His crimson eyes had the full Mangekyu Sharingan spinning within the iris. "Demonic Illusion, Shackling Stakes." All five of the antagonists stood stone still. And then after what seemed no more than three seconds they all fell to the ground unconscious.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked uncertainly.

The crimson eyes of her teammate focused on her and he shook his head slightly.

"How?"

Itachi, from within Sasuke looked down at his borrowed body. "You don't realize how distracting the sound of your heart beating and breathing is until you lack it for some time," he mused.

"Itachi. How did you take over Sasuke's body?"

"His mind is far away-in a dream of some sort. When he became unconscious and you were in danger of dying my soul felt compelled to utilize this body."

Sakura wrapped her arms around Sasuke and hugged him close to her. Itachi's arms hung loosely at his side. She looked up at his face. "Thank you, Itachi. You saved my life, again."

"I cannot allow you to die just yet, Haruno."

Sakura stepped back, realizing she was still holding onto the man. He still didn't return her gesture-it was as if the closeness they'd developed in her dreamscape was only a dream.

"It's strange. My natural elements are fire and water. Sasuke's are fire and lightning. It's a subtle yet drastic difference." Bull knocked his nose against Itachi's calf. He reached down and gave the dog an affectionate rub between the ears. "Interesting. Bull seems to like me, but not Sasuke."

"I guess that will be one way to tell the two of you apart. Though, honestly, I think Bull likes anyone that rubs him behind the ears." Sakura looked over at the men. As a ninja of Konoha she would have made certain the right authorities were notified about the situation, but right now she was working for a different team. It went against her grain, but she'd have to leave the scene of the crime.

"This will not be a common-place occurrence, Haruno."

"Of course," she said distracted. The medic in her didn't want to leave all these ninjas in the elements-even if they were murderers.

"They were going to injure you, then rape you, then murder you. I don't think you should be pondering their fates," Itachi said interrupting her thoughts.

"They're still human."

"Debatable," Itachi said. "Why don't you let the dog allow Kakashi to take care of it."

"I'm not supposed to let Bull leave my side."

"He'll find his way back." Itachi took hold of Sakura's shoulders and turned her around and then opened the back compartment of her satchel. He took out a piece of blank parchment and ink and wrote a quick set of kanji to the paper. He then took Sakura's kunai and poked his index finger and smeared it onto the paper before taking Sakura's hand and doing the same to her finger.

"Hey! That's not sanitary!"

Itachi ignored her outburst and released her hand after smearing her blood onto the parchment as well. He then tucked it inside of Bull's collar. "You let Kakashi take care of this mess. Good boy!" He rubbed Bull behind the ears again. "Then you come find us again, understand?"

Bull woofed and licked Itachi on the face before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Itachi used his left hand to wipe off the dog slobber. "I'm sure Sasuke is going to love that a dog licked his face." He started back into the woods on their original mission trail. "This mission will only take forty-eight hours, Madara gave you extra time in case of unforeseen attacks. Which probably means this was no accidental encounter."

"Great. I've not had a boss that's out to have me killed before." Sakura looked down at the wound in her side and began to focus her chakra to the region and repaired some of the vascular damage she'd been able to address earlier.

"No? Haven't you ever been on the front lines before? Every mission is one to get you killed. It's up to you to come home alive." Itachi reached into her satchel once more and pulled out the first aid kit. "Take a seat and let's properly clean this. You haven't enough chakra to complete the task and keep at a quick pace."

She wasn't sure if she liked this physical form of Itachi. At least in his spiritual form he was a little more cheerful. In a corporal body it seemed the Uchiha double spy was a bitter pessimist. They went near the fallen tree and Itachi gathered a handful of snow and melted it with a minor fire jutsu and dampened a piece of gauze and cleaned the knife wound superficially while Sakura finished dealing with the internal damage. She let Itachi apply antibiotic ointment to the wound and then wrap it.

Sakura tugged down her shirt and pulled her cloak tighter against her. Itachi incinerated the dirty gauze and stood up. "Let's go. I'll keep control over Sasuke until he wakes up."

"Shouldn't I address his injuries?"

"It's nothing he can't cope with."

That seemed to be the end of that discussion so they took off together to continue their journey. They continued on in silence for a couple of miles running at a rapid rate. The wound in Sakura's side was a dull ache, but she was more concerned about Sasuke's health since his wound from his up close encounter with the tree weren't assessed. Perhaps Itachi had a higher tolerance for pain than his younger brother.

"Will he know about this?"

"No idea. I guess we'll find out soon enough. He's waking up." Itachi stopped on a tree branch and braced himself against the sturdy trunk. His eyes flickered to ebony and his face washed of all emotions but confusion.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked tentatively gripping the trunk firmly. He looked around with blatant questions written all over him.

"How did we get here?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

His dark eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Why don't you try me, partner?" He cocked his head to either side. "Why is my neck so sore?"

Sakura folded her arms over her chest. "We're on a mission. We don't have time for idle chit chat."

"Where's the dog? Where's my fucking memory? And why the hell do I have a horrific head ache?"

"Mind your language, Sasuke." She started to move past him, but he gripped her shoulders hard and turned her so that her back was braced against the tree trunk and she was trapped between his arms. Once more, there was no sign of Itachi.

"You really want to know?"

"If you don't tell me, I'll use my Sharingan and find out for myself. Your choice."

She thought about it. Perhaps it would be better if he found out for himself. Sasuke shook her and she brought her eyes to meet his expecting to see the whirling comas of the Sharingan but all she saw was familiar ebony.

"Fine. Your dead brother has been haunting me for quite some time and he made me promise to help you. You happy?"

"Itachi? Itachi has been haunting you?" Sasuke leaned back away from her but kept his arms as an effective cage around her. "You're sure?"

"Would I make this up? Why else would I be with you instead of fighting alongside Naruto, Kakashi, Neji, and the others?"

"Wait? Neji? Why would you mention him? I thought there was nothing between you two because of the war and not having time for such things."

"No reason. I'm just including him because he's a Jounin and sometimes he chooses me for missions and that's all I'm saying."

"I still don't understand why the Hyuga is a Jounin," Sasuke said with his eyes narrowed.

"Why are you so focused on Neji? I thought we were discussing the ghost of your brother. And he's been promoted because we are at war. It makes you grow up fast."

"Having your family murdered before your eyes makes you grow up fast. When I tried to kill you, and I couldn't..."

"Itachi was holding your sword away from me."

"And the cave?"

"Look, we have a limited amount of time and a mission to accomplish. We can chat later." Sakura made to duck under his arm, but Sasuke prevented that by reaching down and grabbing her firmly by the waist.

"Is he here now?"

"You know Itachi. He comes and goes as he pleases."

Sasuke released his grip and rubbed his hand across his cheek. "Why is my face sticky?"

Sakura took off deciding she'd rather leave the poor boy guessing about that last bit. She didn't want Bull to be victim to the temperamental teen when he returned to them.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen:**

They reached the village that Daijiro Arai was said to frequent just after dark. Sakura entered the bar that the Lightning ninja habitually visited and made herself comfortable at the wet-bar. It was decided that Daijiro was more likely to approach her alone than if she were with Sasuke. Her having changed her appearance with a simple jutsu to match his more favored physical type into a blond with a medium tan and legs that stretched for miles was a hassle and once more, Sakura was glad that Itachi wasn't there to ridicule her.

And it was vital that they give the ninja the scroll from Madaara. After she'd been in the bar for half an hour the man in question entered and sat at the other end of the wet-bar opposite of her. It was obvious that she'd caught his attention, but he seemed to be one to take his time. This was proving a bigger challenge than the first time she'd attempted to gain Neji's attention at a bar after he'd returned from an A class mission after becoming a member of Anbu, though he still kept his rank secret from his Team Guy teammates. Of course that time her motivation had been Ino's pestering and now it was part of a greater mission to save all of Konoha from the madman Madara.

When it became apparent that Daijiro was in no hurry Sasuke also entered the bar. He took a bottle of alcohol with him along with a glass tumbler and went to a dark corner table where he'd have a view of everything going on in the establishment and yet his back was to the wall where no one could sneak up on him.

Itachi was watching over both Sakura and Sasuke. He'd discovered a means to be present without being visible. He didn't much care for his brother and Sakura's idea of how to gain the attention of their target, but there wasn't much he could do-or was there?

Itachi reached down and placed his hand over his brother's guiding it toward the liquor bottle and pouring another full glass of alcohol. It was obvious that Sasuke was upset by the possibility that he was now being haunted by him or that Sakura had completely lost her wit- either possibility was troubling.

It wasn't until after Sasuke had finished three drinks that Sakura had finally won the full attention of their target. The bartender had placed a drink in front of her, compliments of the gentlemen. Sakura took a dainty sip of her drink and looked across the way at Daijiro and winked.

The targeted ninja took that as encouragement and made his way over. "Hi there, honey. I seem to have forgotten my name. Can I have yours?"

Sakura forced a saccharine smile to cross her lips. "Well, you just happened to call it right. My name is Honey. Must be destiny that brought us together, handsome." She took the liquor in front of her and lifted it to her lips and downed it in one go. Her throat burned, but she was Tsunade's pupil and a little alcohol wouldn't be her downfall. At least as long as she stayed away from gambling.

"You seem to be thirsty, Honey," Diajiro commented with a silly grin on his face. He lifted his hand to the bar tender and requested a refill for her. "I couldn't help but notice that you and I seemed destined to cross paths."

"Oh? Did you have your fortunes told recently, handsome?" Sakura giggled and did her best to feel flirty. It was a little hard knowing that not far away Sasuke was glaring at her and most likely so was her ghostly mentor.

"I'm just a lucky man," he said. "My friends call me Jiro."

"What do your enemies call you?"

"Death," he said with a flash of his teeth. His canine was particularly pointy and the small similarity between him and Kiba was enough to settle Sakura's nerves. Or maybe it was the alcohol settling in her system.

"I'll just have to make sure we stay friends, Jiro," she purred while running her fingers down his wrist and forearm.

"Yes, good friends, Honey," Jiro agreed.

Sakura subtly reached into one of her sleeves and pulled out the scroll from Madara and slipped it up Jiro's sleeve. He noticed the transition and his eyes darkened ever so slightly in understanding. "I"m new to this place. Can you recommend any entertainment?"

"You're actually in the most entertaining place in the village," the bartender answered having overheard the conversation as he placed Sakura's fresh drink in front of her. "In the back we have the gambling tables. It is either a fast way to earn a good night's stay in a hotel or a way to lose your shirt and end up on the streets."

"Well, we can't have you losing your shirt, now can we?" Jiro said reaching up and twisting Sakura's golden curls around his index finger gently. "However, you can come back with me and watch me lose my shirt."

"What a splendid idea," Sasuke said standing behind them. How had he snuck up on them. Sakura startled at his interruption and after turning to face his unexpected face saw the unfamiliar lines on Sasuke's face that meant her childhood friend wasn't the one running the show. "My cousin, Honey and I would be interested in doing some gambling."

Jiro blinked at Sakura. "Your name really is Honey?"

She shrugged. "Guilty. So would you like to take us to the back and show us how we might earn a night in a nice hotel?"

Jiro smirked at the blond version of Sakura. "I know how you can earn a nice night in a hotel with fine company."

Itachi cleared his throat. "That is my cousin you're talking about."

"Funny, you don't look anything alike," Jiro grumbled. He pushed out his barstool. "Put these drinks on my tab, bartender." He started to lead the way to the gambling room in the back.

"What are you doing?" Sakura whispered as they followed Diajiro.

"The mission," Itachi answered. He took hold of her elbow firmly. "Come along, cousin. We don't want to get lost in the hallway." They passed several partitioned areas separated from the main breezeway by heavy curtains of thick material.

Diajiro pushed back a set of dark green curtains and then lit a candelabra thus creating an eerie glow to the room. He sat on a large cushion on the floor at a floor table and gestured toward the other cushions for his guests to join him. He took a set of cards that were setting in the middle of the table and pushed them towards Itachi. "If you'll shuffle those. I need to refresh myself on the rules."

He pulled out the letter Sakura had given him and scanned the contents. He rolled the scroll back up. "I can tell you this, I will be one of the first in line to answer the call when the great ones come. And you tell him, that I will find the woman he seeks."

"Yes, the great players are certainly a challenge in these games," Itachi said. Diajiro's previous words were the response they were to give to Tobi or Madara, or whatever his name was-the leader.

"Now, let me teach you a friendly game of what the foreigners call Poker," Diajiro said taking the cards from Itachi and dealing them out.

Sakura tried to pay attention to the rules and laugh when it seemed appropriate. However, Diajiro's answer worried her because she didn't know what the scrolled message was about, but it certainly couldn't have been anything good. She had a strong suspicion that whatever it was would mean more war for her previous village.

**OoO**

They were on their way back to their lodgings. Sakura had tastefully declined Diajiro's invitation to stay the night with him. Her pockets were a little more full because the gambling game in the back had been a clever way for Diajiro to pay her for her delivery job without suspicion. However, now the alcohol had a chance to saturate her blood and with the strain of holding her look altering jutsu all night she was ready to crash in a nice warm bed.

She and Sasuke (with Itachi still in control) were walking back when a clap of thunder turned the cloudy night sky into a downpour. They started to run, Sakura giggling half the way thanks to her inebriation. She slipped in the mud and with her high heels twisted her ankle. Her giggling quickly turned into tears of frustration.

"You can heal it later," Itachi said scooping her up and carrying her the rest of the way to their lodgings. He locked the door behind them in their room and turned on the gas lamp on the dresser and illuminated the room in a soft glow before setting her down on her feet with his arm still wrapped around her waist supportively.

Sakura shivered in the chill of the room. "Mission accomplished," she said with a weak smile. She started to sit on the edge of the bed so that she could examine her ankle, but was stopped by two firm hands.

"You're not getting the bed wet," Itachi said as he led her to the bathroom.

"Where's Sasuke now, Itachi?" Sakura asked as she limped to the bathroom while resting the majority of her weight against Sasuke's strong frame.

Itachi reached up with his free hand and tapped his temple. "Yelling at me to stop possessing his body, but he's mostly drunk still so he's having some trouble making sense. The good news is he definitely believes you about my presence." He helped Sakura to sit on top of the closed toilet while he sat across from her on the edge of the bathtub. He reached down and before she could react he grabbed hold of the bottom of her short dress and yanked the whole thing off over her head.

In defensive modesty Sakura reached up to cover her chest with crossed arms. Itachi cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. "You're wearing a bra," he said matter-of-fact while taking the fresh towel hanging on the towel rack and wrapping it over her shoulders. "Did you think I didn't watch you in the shower before?"

Sakura's mouth gaped open and her visual jutsu fell and her pink hair and green eyes replaced her honey coloring. "Have you always been so blatant?"

Itachi shrugged. "I've actually had a pretty sheltered life. All duty and no fun. I've had more fun dead than I ever had alive," he admitted before he reached down and flipped off his own shirt. He blinked at the sight of his chest and laughed softly. "If I ever thought that this was my body this is a quick reminder. My chest is a patchwork of scars." He scowled and berated Sasuke yelling at him in his head to cover up. He decided to acquiesce and wrapped the other towel around himself before he stood up and also stripped out of his pants leaving him in a pair of damp boxers.

"I'm really tired," Sakura said looking away anxiously.

"I'll get you some water to drink so that you do not suffer from the alcohol in the morning and you fix your ankle," Itachi commanded before leaving the restroom for the little kitchenette area. He filled a glass of water for the two of them and returned to the restroom to see Sakura concentrating on healing her sprained joint.

"Don't you think its a bit gross to be drinking water in the bathroom?"

Itachi shrugged. "No more gross than suffering a hard-on in the borrowed body of your little brother."

Sakura's eyes grew wide and she couldn't help but let her eyes fall to the area of question.

Itachi laughed. "I'm kidding. You realize how cold that rain water was, right? Besides, I'm not a fan of blondes." He reached over and brushed aside the pink bangs where they had plastered to Sakura's forehead. "Let's get some sleep. We've got a long way to travel before we return to our rendezvous point. Who knows what sort of murderous obstacles will be along our way."

'Oh shut up!' Itachi shouted inside his mind. Sasuke was becoming adamant that he take back over his body. Itachi finally resorted to sealing his little brother inside an illusion of being in control. In Sasuke's fantasy he was back in control and was already sound asleep.

Itachi offered his hand to Sakura and helped her stand. He then lead her to the large queen sized bed in their room. "Our clothes will be wet for some time. I suggest body heat to keep warm."

Sakura snorted at the suggestion. "Of course you do. I'm starting to wonder if I'd be safer with Sasuke after all."

"Come now, Sakura. I'm a genius ninja! I only suggest these things for the good of our survival!" Itachi grinned at her. The expression was so foreign on Sasuke's face that Sakura was speechless at the sight.

"I have a question for you. If you made Sasuke drunk so that you could take over how come you're not drunk?"

"My ever observant student," Itachi said plopping onto the bed and pulling back the covers. He set his towel on the desk chair near the bed and slipped into the sheets. They felt great against his bare skin. "I did a rejuvenating jutsu once I was in control of his body. Much like your Master Tsunade."

Sakura kept her towel wrapped around her as she joined Itachi under the sheets.

He pulled the towel away and wrapped his arms around her midsection and held her back against his front. "Body heat will keep us from getting sick, remember? It's all about the survival. Must I teach you everything?"

Sakura was having a couple of ideas about other things she'd like him to teach her.

**OoO**

Kabuto was very excited. He took off his glasses and cleaned them with the tail of his shirt before putting them back on his face. As a member of Akatsuki he'd had amazing resources and Orochimaru would be so very proud to see what his pupil had accomplished. The reanimation jutsu was almost complete. There were a few more specimens he would like to collect, but it seemed that the former Hokages of Konoha were beyond the mortal world.

He looked down at the body of Itachi Uchiha. It really was a waste to let such a talented shinobi fall to disuse. He would help the greatest spy of Konoha, even more great than himself as a spy, once more play his part in the war to end all wars.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen:**

Itachi opened his eyes, or rather Sasuke's eyes. He wasn't sure exactly what woke him up. Sasuke's consciousness was resting and he wasn't fighting for control. There was nothing but dim moonlight creeping in through the windows. He didn't sense any immediate danger. Sakura was snoring softly next to him so he didn't disturb her. From what he remembered she tended to snore after she had too much to drink.

He climbed out of bed and inspected the room for anything that might have awoken him. Itachi was about to crawl back under the covers when he realized what was wrong. The danger wasn't in the hotel. The danger was back at his body. He could feel his possession of Sasuke fading.

His vision swam before his borrowed eyes and after a wave of intense nausea Itachi realized that he was no longer in the hotel. Once again he had an incorporeal sense about his person. And then he felt trapped and confined.

"You were the most challenging," Kabuto murmured. The white haired spy peered over Itachi's face with his eyes hidden under round glasses reflecting nearby light. "I almost had to scratch you out of the equation but Tobi really wanted you."

Itachi sat up and could feel the heavy weight of his body, but he noticed most was the absence of a heart beating, lungs breathing, blood pumping through vessels. He raised his hand before his eyes and saw the familiar black nail polish. He blinked as he realized that his eyes working fine once more. "I don't understand."

"You are part of the big picture. It is unnecessary for you to understand," a different, much deeper voice answered. It was none other than Madaara that stepped into view, not Tobi, the orange masked mystery man that everyone assumed was Madaara, but the founding ancestor of the Uchiha line. "It was difficult to reach your soul," he said frowning. "And you are already asking more questions than your counterparts."

Itachi blinked at him with a vacant expression. Madaara had already revealed too much in his statement and Itachi would adapt and cover. He had used a form of reanimation technique himself when he would use the corpse of a fallen ninja and infuse it with a small portion of his power and then manipulate the corpse into action. All traces of the original ninja were lost. He wished he had read the medical journal Kabuto had given Sakura.

"That's more like it," Madaara said satisfied. He looked over at Kabuto, the latter was busy scribbling notes into another journal. "For a moment, I thought he might have as much rational thought as myself."

Kabuto set aside his pen and journal and shook his head. "No, sir, I was certain to keep the enforcements around the mind up. He'll remember his jutsus but otherwise, his memories are blocked. Without memories there are no loyalties and without loyalties we have another addition to our army."

Madaara shook his head. "There is a lot riding on this technique you say you have perfected. It is possible that like me, he placed a last jutsu on his body to keep his mind should one reanimate him." He glowered at Kabuto. "That's why you can't control me. Lucky for you, I happen to be in agreement with Tobi as he's merely carrying out my original plan." He extended his hand out to Itachi.

Itachi accepted the hand and stood up from the stone slab his body was previously on. It moved stiffly compared to Sasuke's body, but the fire and water element was familiar. "What is it I am to do, great grandfather? Forgive me, but I am feeling rather confused. I thought I was dead."

"Oh, you were and are. You've been brought back for a purpose. I want you to kill that brat, Naruto," Madaara said.

"The nine-tails host?"

"Tobi is the one who plans to take that honor," Kabuto reminded him. "You are to join with some of your former teammates and destroy the five ninja villages that have allied with one another."

"Or we could go with option three," Itachi said. He had taken hold of a pair of scalpels and threw one at each of the two ninjas before him. They both vanished, as they'd both been shadow clones. He was all alone in the laboratory and it now became clear that he'd been alone with their clones for some time. And now that he'd dispatched the clones the memory of his resurrection would reach the respective ninjas.

"It looks like option four then," he said to himself. He looked around to gather his bearings on the place and decided his best move would be to leave fast. He'd find his way back to Sakura and Sasuke and perhaps they'd be able to track down Kabuto and end his resurrection technique. A lot of ninjas had died in the past few years and who knew how many had been brought back to fight on the other side. How could students be expected to fight against their former teachers? He needed to read that medical journal. Perhaps Kabuto inadvertently gave him the answer to his defeat.

One question was answered though. Tobi was not Madaara as he had suspected. So who was he?

Itachi found himself detoured. A large dog slammed into him and knocked him to the ground and out of his fast paced run.

"Bull? What are you doing all the way out here?" Itachi asked as the dog licked him on his face.

"More importantly, why isn't he biting you?" Kakashi Hatake asked as he stepped into view.

"Probably because we are well acquainted from my time with Sakura," Itachi explained pushing the dog off of him and standing. He found himself with a kunai pointed with the tip piercing the flesh above his heart. "It won't do you much good. The heart isn't even beating."

"So you are dead," Kakashi said.

"Is Naruto safe?"

Kakashi lowered his kunai, but stayed with his posture tense and ready to fight. "He told me that you saw him shortly before you died. You are dead aren't you?"

"Not dead enough it seems."

"Anyway, Naruto said that you told him that you were entrusting him with saving Sasuke."

"I still am. My mission has always been to Konoha. I put Sasuke first too many times and that lead to me failing. I must put his safety into the hands of one more capable."

"And you think that is Naruto?"

"He is a better brother than I ever was. I am a bit jealous of Sasuke to tell you the truth. If I had friends like Naruto and Sakura I would not have pursued the path of hate that he found."

"Are there others?"

"Reanimated corpses you mean? Yes. I don't know how many. They apparently had difficulty bringing me back. I did learn that Madaara and Tobi are two separate people though. I don't know how useful that knowledge will be to you."

Kakashi nodded, easing his posture into a comfortable slouch and reached down to rub Bull behind the ears. "What's your mission now, soldier?"

"Same as always, protect Konoha. I have to find Sakura. She has a journal that might hold the key to breaking Kabuto's technique."

Kakashi looked at him quizzically. "I had always wondered if there was more to you slaying your entire clan. I remember you from your days in the academy and as a young genius Anbu member. You reminded me of myself at your age. I suspected Danzo to be behind the act, but there was never any proof. You made it too clear that you acted alone and maliciously."

"I followed orders. Though, I wasn't alone. Madaara did help me with that. He was still alive at that time. I'm not sure who Tobi is, but he's a foe that only Naruto and Killer Bee together can possibly defeat. As long as the ninja of a thousand techniques is also there of course." Itachi felt his lip quirk into what could be labeled a smile.

Kakashi looked at him with an intelligent sparkle to his visible dark eye. "You'll be able to find them faster with Bull. He seems to know you pretty well." Bull looked up at Itachi and then jumped up, planting two huge paws on his shoulders. "Take care of them. They are my precious students."

Itachi looked past Bull's big head to the sensei of squad seven. "I suppose they are my precious students too."

"And let Sakura know that Sai is still a bit upset about her knocking him unconscious."

Itachi felt his lip twitch at the memory. "Will do."

**OoO**

"Ugh, I have the worse hangover ever," Sasuke moaned.

Sakura looked up from the medical journal she was reading on the hotel desk. It was definitely not Itachi this time. "You were knocking back the alcohol pretty heavy last night."

Sasuke sat up and ran his palm over his face. His hair stood out in all directions and his dark eyes were blood shot. "You mean Itachi was forcing me to get drunk and pass out." He glared at her. "Can't you do some medical technique to make me feel better?"

Sakura shook her head and felt a faint smile cross her lips. Was this really the boy that she obsessed over for so many years? He was rather pathetic that morning. She went to the refrigerator and pulled out one of the overpriced bottles of water as well as a can of tomato juice. She pulled out her travel sized medical kit and pulled out a caffeine pill and a ginger pill-the first helped with throbbing headaches and the latter with nausea.

She took her items and sat on the edge of the bed. "Take these two pills with a couple of sips of water," she instructed.

Sasuke took the ginger and caffeine pill from her hand and popped them into his mouth. "Don't you dare dry swallow," she warned when he started to do just that. Gingerly, he took a couple of sips of water to swallow the pills.

"Now, drink this," Sakura said taking the bottle of water and screwing the cap back on and handing over the can of tomato juice.

A faint frown line formed between Sasuke's brows. "After all this time you remember that I like tomatoes best?"

"Of course I remember that, but only because I'm a genius and I hardly forget anything. That is not why I'm giving you tomato juice. The vitamins in it will do wonders to help you get over this headache. You took the ginger pill so that you hopefully wouldn't throw it up. While tomato juice is very healthy its thick and a little hard to swallow."

Sasuke began to drink without further questions. He watched her from over the rim of the can. When he finished the tomato juice he set aside the empty can and then began to take small sips from the water bottle. "So, I guess I believe you. About Itachi I mean."

"I thought you believed me earlier," Sakura said getting up and going back to the desk and her book. There were some interesting chapters about reanimation and she was wondering just how black magic it might be and if she might be able to utilize it in a non-evil way to bring life back into Itachi's body. She felt a little lonely without his presence. There was a moment when her necklace grew dim, but then it flickered back to its bright red color. That was a long moment where her heart stopped dead in her chest and she feared she might have lost Itachi for all time. She knew he didn't approve, but she wanted to see if there was any possible way to bring him back. And it was best to research when he wasn't lingering and watching over her shoulder.

"You can understand why I hate Konoha so much though, right?"

Sakura shrugged. "Hate is a wasteful pursuit. And besides, Konoha is made of people. Only a handful of those people are responsible for Itachi's mission to murder your entire clan. I can see you hating those people, particularly Danzo. However, to hate the entire village would defeat the purpose of everything Itachi stands for now and back then. He sacrificed everything so that he could bring peace. Why would you destroy that?"

"I knew you wouldn't understand."

"No, Sasuke, I understand all too well. I am a medical ninja. Do you know what means? It means during war I am to help any injured person brought before me whether they are friend or foe. I must look beyond the insigna of their home and help them because they are human. Hate destroys. Only forgiveness can lead to a future of hope."

"Now you're sounding like Naruto," Sasuke muttered picking up the pillow and burrowing his head under it.

"You might want to listen to him sometime instead of fighting with him whenever you cross paths."

"We don't always fight when we cross paths."

"Naruto has lost more than you and has chosen to look forward to the future and try to make it better. So don't talk like you're the only person who ever suffered."

"It's different!" Sasuke shouted sitting up and throwing his pillow across the room. "He didn't even know his parents!"

"Exactly! You had the opportunity to have a normal life with your parents. And they planned a coop to start a civil war. Your brother stopped them. Naruto's father was the fourth Hokage and his mother was the previous host of the nine-tails. He has lost more than you! If you're going to make it a contest on who has suffered the most it would be him!"

"It's not a contest," Sasuke said quietly.

"No, it's not. You need some serious therapy, Sasuke Uchiha."

"And you're going to offer it to me?"

Sakura closed her book and then stood up and walked to the projectile pillow. She picked it up and threw it back at Sasuke who caught it deftly. "You're welcome to ask, but I'm not offering you anything. Now, take a shower and brush your teeth. We need to head back before Madaara decides to send another hunting party after us. We accomplished our mission."

"You should refer to him as Tobi. He seems to prefer being called that." Sasuke pushed back the covers and started for the bathroom. He looked over his shoulder. "Thank you for the medicine. My head already feels better."

"You're welcome."

Sasuke stood and made his way to the bathroom. He slammed the door behind him and Sakura would have been annoyed if she hadn't heard the start of the shower. At least she knew that he was capable of listening, even if he chose to ignore people more often than not.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen:**

Neji was documenting the many reanimated ninjas that had been reported by various four-man squads. He'd been traveling with an Anbu team for the past three weeks and instead of fighting he was only issued orders to scout and document. He was frustrated by his inability to physically participate, but he had been strictly prohibited from partaking in combat. If there had been any doubt, the order issued by the Hinata's father Hiashi, the head of their clan left no wiggle room. Basically, if he engaged in any fighting without his life being in imminent danger the curse on his forehead would activate. It could have been an idle threat, considering he was to avoid fighting so that he would stay alive no matter what, but Neji Hyuga was a cautious man.

In the past five days there had been a major change in the war. The Akatsuki numbers had dwindled down to the last pair, but then new members were added including Sasuke and Kabuto. However, now, so many of the dead Akatsuki and the allied ninjas from the past two wars were brought back to life. Or at least, they were reanimated as it was obvious these individuals were not the same.

He worried about Shikamaru's Team Ten. The last he had heard they would be the ones facing off with their old sensei Asuma and it if his facts were right, and they usually were which was why he'd been given his current duties, the personality was still intact in the reanimated corpses. The difference was that they could not control their attacks and were sent on a rampage against the allied ninja villages.

Neji finished up the last of his report and rolled up the scroll. He'd tucked it into the inner pocket of his satchel and then started on his way to meet Sai who now had a habit of talking too much ever since the curse on his tongue disappeared with Danzo's death. The former Root ninja would take the report and convert it to an ink bird and send it to the head of Konoha's intelligence, Shikamaru's father and Ibiki. Neji concentrated on the placement on each footfall upon the tree branches as he ran through the forest at top speed.

He almost lost his footing when he noticed the presence of someone else that should have been dead. Neji regained his balance and focused his byakugan and recognized the chakra pattern of one Itachi Uchiha traveling alongside one of Kakashi Hatake's ninja dogs.

"Uchiha," Neji said coming to a halt and taking up a defensive stance.

"Hyuga," Itachi answered also coming to a stop just out of reach of Neji's rotating defense attack. The large dog at his side gave a happy bark and enthusiastically started to wag his tail. "Calm yourself, Bull," Itachi said quietly. He reached down and gently patted the top of the dog's head and he obediently sat his rump on the ground.

Neji watched the chakra flow of the murderous Uchiha and realized it was slightly different than the reanimated chakra of the others. "Are you in control?" he asked, puzzled.

"I suppose you're not completely useless," Itachi said in a bored tone. He was skeptical over Hyugas by nature thanks to the constant belittlement he'd heard about them from the Uchiha clan in his youth. However, the Uchihas had been exterminated and the Hyuga's remained powerful members of Konoha society-so who was useless after all? And of course, this particular Hyuga held a great deal of promise - more than most. He wasn't a mindless pawn in the Hyuga power struggle. By rights of strength and cunning this Hyuga should be the future clan leader-not one of the girls currently set to inherit that role. In the Uchiha clan the title of leader would have gone to the strongest, not to the child of the current leader.

Neji narrowed his eyes and fought his annoyance. "By the sight of Kakashi's nin-dog I have to assume you are working with the Leaf."

There was no need to hide it anymore. Itachi decided to tell him the truth. Besides, he wanted to trust this one. He had been close to Sakura and before he'd been able to communicate and was a weak ghostly apparition he'd seen a lot of this Neji Hyuga. He was someone he wouldn't mind having on a squad as a teammate, assuming the boy and Sakura didn't get too friendly. "To be honest, I've always worked with the Leaf."

"How is it that you are brought back to life and in control unlike the others?"

"Extenuating circumstances," Itachi answered. "I will find the one responsible for the reanimation and destroy the jutsu. However, you should inform Shikaku Nara that the one known as Tobi is not Madaara, as he may have already surmised."

"And how do you know this?"

"Because Madaara was reanimated as well. It seems the one known as Tobi has enjoyed letting us assume that he was the patriarch of the Uchiha line. He is without doubt an Uchiha, but I do not know his true identity." The fact that Itachi had thought Madaara had helped him slay his clan and had just been proven wrong was disturbing. He had only come to that realization as he had been running alongside Bull Who was his bloody helper? And if he wasn't Madaara then who else hated the Uchiha enough to help with such a dirty task?

"I will relay your message," Neji agreed.

"And stop worrying about Haruno. She's safe."

"How do you know?"

Itachi reached down and rubbed Bull behind the ears. "As you can see, Hatake is aware of the situation. Like me, Sakura is working under deep cover."

"If you've been dead for the past few months how can you know if Sakura is safe or not?"

"Because she's working under cover with Sasuke." Itachi told the lie with ease. Perhaps, the lie might even become the truth one day. Kakashi was most likely to become the next Hokage and if things went as Itachi planned Sasuke would be redeemed and change his foolish mission of hate. Perhaps he could even rejoin his former teammates as a ninja of the Leaf. Itachi felt a twinge of jealousy, but he ignored it. There was no beating heart within his chest so he had no right for wants of his own. All there was and ever would be for him was duty to protect Konohagakure. He'd have to hope that after he was finally gone from the world that Sakura and Sasuke both would use the lessons he'd tried to teach them and live life to the fullest potential. He had no doubt that Uzumaki would become a great Hokage like his father Minato Namikaze.

"Your thoughts are too deep for a dead man," Neji said. "Hurry and finish your business so you can acquire your much deserved rest."

Itachi nodded in acknowledgement and then vanished in a swirl black raven feathers with Bull gone with him.

Neji turned off his byakugan and took out the scroll to add what Itachi had just shared. He had just finished scribbling the post script when Sai entered the area on an ink bird. Neji rolled up the scroll and prepared to hand it off.

"You did not meet at the rendezvous point," Sai said upon landing near Neji. "Did something happen? You didn't engage in a battle did you? It was strictly prohibited for you to engage in battle unless you were in imminent danger."

"It's in the post script," Neji answered. Ever since the curse had been removed from Sai's tongue the young man didn't ask awkward questions all the time, now he just asked every sort of question all the time. It seems that once he was no longer limited in his topics of conversation he became much more loquacious. "And I'm acutely aware of my orders. I don't need you to remind me."

"I'm just trying to be helpful," Sai said with a smile. He took the scroll and started to work his jutsu to transform the message into a bird that would find its way to headquarters. "What's this part on the bottom? Sakura and Sasuke are working deep under cover?"

"That's for Shika's eyes only," Neji snapped annoyed.

Sai raised his eyebrows. "Of course I would read it as well. I'm the one transposing your message into an ink creature."

"I suppose you are."

"It's not like I cannot keep a secret. Even without the curse on my tongue I can still keep quiet about important things. I am a ninja of the Leaf after all. I was just saying this to you, because obviously we both know what you wrote and I'm just a bit relieved to hear that Sakura is on a mission. I was worried about her."

Neji's expression softened just enough that he wasn't scowling quite as much. He could understand Sai's concern. They both cared about the kunoichi. "I'm glad to hear you've forgiven her for knocking you, Kiba, and Rock Lee out."

"I didn't say I had forgiven her. I just said I cared about what happens to her. Besides, I've been working on my vocabulary so that when I do see her next we can have a livid fight! I won't be like Naruto getting punched in the head. We shall have a verbal sparring and when she becomes violent I will fly away!"

It sounded like the ink artist had put a lot of thought into the fight fantasy with Sakura. "Then let us hope you don't meet up in the middle of a battle so you can have your verbal attack."

Sai frowned. "I've worked hard preparing what I'll say. I really hope I see her outside of a battle."

Neji rolled his eyes and wondered why in the world he was having this conversation. He was grateful that with his milky eyes no one could tell if he was rolling his eyes. "Just finish transcribing the message."

"I already have," Sai said with a final flick of his brush. The scroll Neji had given him had been transformed into an ink bird. It flew off the paper and made off for Shika's location. He handed over the blank scroll. "You might as well recycle."

Neji took the blank scroll. It wasn't a bad idea to reuse the scroll. Supplies might be few and far between in the future depending on how bad things became. And if what Itachi had said was true, things would be getting very bad indeed.

"Let's head back to camp. You can practice some of your verbal sparring with me," Neji offered.

"Really?" Sai asked excitedly falling into step with Neji.

"No, of course not, but you can practice on Kiba. He'll probably give you a similar reaction as that of a short-tempered pink-haired kunoichi."

**OoO**

"Shouldn't we head back to Akatsuki headquarters?" Sakura asked. They had left the village and started in the direction of their rendezvous with Tobi, but then Sasuke took a detour. Since Sakura was supposed to be proving her loyalty to Sasuke and thereby Ataksuki she followed after him. She grit her teeth at the impulsive Uchiha and greatly missed Itachi's guidance. She didn't like being a double agent and still couldn't comprehend how Itachi had handled it.

"I have an errand I must run first," Sasuke said glancing at her over his shoulder. "You're welcome to head on without me, but then you'd be failing your mission."

Patience had been a hard lesson to attain and Sakura utilized the skill now. She observed their environment and noticed that they were drawing to the edge of Lighting and closer to the Land of Iron. It didn't take long to realize Sasuke's goal. Near the border Sasuke's Hawk teammates Jugo and Suigetsu waited with an unconscious Anko tied up in ropes and chains between them. Sakura almost didn't recognize the fierce jonin, but when she noticed the trio of commas marking her neck she realized she'd been cursed by Orochimaru.

"Hey, Sasuke! I see you upgraded from Karin to a fine kunoichi," Suigetsu jeered. His body seemed to drip and be mostly liquid like a melting ice cream cone.

"Where's Karin?" Jugo asked. Unlike his watery Mist teammate he was concerned about the missing redhead.

"You've brought the host," Sasuke said ignoring both teammates.

"What is it you're planning to do, Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

"Why, I'm going to resurrect my teacher."

"Are you out of your mind?" Suigetsu asked, he started perspiring bullets of sweat. "If we had known that was the purpose of our mission we'd have never left your side! Where is Karin? Orochimaru was the one that planned to take possession of your body. You were lucky the first time when you defeated him!"

"And Itachi was there to remove the rest of him from my person," Sasuke added. "It was a premature act on the part of my brother. And it's not your place to question me."

Sakura moved to stand between Sasuke and the unconscious Anko. "Don't you think Itachi had a good reason to do that? What possible benefit could you get from the snake now?" Sakura demanded with her arms outstretched.

"He was my Sannin master. I have questions and he has answers," Sasuke said. He tried to push Sakura aside, but she stood her ground with her feet firmly planted using chakra. She shook her head at him. "Move."

"Don't be a fool! Orochimaru was blinded by his quest for power. How could he possibly help you now?" Sakura said reaching out and blocking Sasuke's hands as he tried to shove her again. She grabbed hold of his wrists and with chakra enhanced strength held him tightly.

"Not that its any of your business, but I need to talk to Orochimaru. He has information that I need. He knows the truth behind Konoha's corruption. Why else do you think he left?" Sasuke said pulling his hands but without success. He brought his head forward for a vicious head-butt, but Sakura stepped back and out of the way though the proximity caused her hair to fly back with the force.

"Oh, I don't know. He probably left so he could pursue his dream of immortality and absolute power?"

There was a rustling in the nearby forest and a massive chakra had arrived. Jugo and Suigetsu pulled out their swords and stood with their legs spread wide. Sakura recognized the attack when two large puppets careened toward them. There was only one person who could control such a massive amount of power-and he was dead. She recognized the puppets as the first two kages of the sand village.

One of the puppets collided with Sasuke's two teammates and they fought hard to keep up. The other went for Anko. Sakura went around Sasuke and rammed her chakra laced fist into the ground causing a fissure to separate the two kunoichi from the attack.

Sasuke drew his sword and then moved to stand back to back with her. "What is this?"

"It's like we're being attacked by Sasori, but he's dead. Granny Chiyo and I defeated him more than a year ago." Sakura held her fists up ready to destroy anything that came near them.

"That you did," Kabuto said stepping out from the woods. "However, I needed him so he's been brought back. Why in fact your dear brother, Itachi, was recently resurrected. However, because of you I haven't been able to bring back Master Orochimaru," he said with a slither. His pale reptilian skin glimmered in the evening light. "Give me back the woman."

"I say we just blow them up!" Deirdara said swooping in on a large white clay bird and avoiding the fissure. He threw a bomb towards them and Sasuke went one direction and Sakura and Anko went the other.

"Now, now, ease up you two," Kabuto soothed Sasori and Deirdara. "These are fellow members of Akatsuki. Our goals are the same. There should be no conflict here."

Sasori stepped out of the shadows and he was not inside his precious puppet tank. His short red hair stood in stark contrast to his pale flesh and from his fingers the faint sight of chakra puppet strings glimmered. The sharp look in his eyes that Sakura remembered at his defeat was dulled and his expression slack. "I am surprised that you, honorable ninja of Konoha, would side with Akatsuki. How did you lose your way?"

Sakura opened her mouth to deny the assumption. Sasori continued to stare at her, his puppets were stationary around them.

"I need to finish my art," Deirdara grumbled. "Can't I blow up the Uchiha? He's the one that took my arm. Besides we've got Itachi and Madaara. Why would we need the whiney one?"

"I'm partial to the whiney one," Itachi said as he landed upon the back of Deirdara's flying crane. "And it looks like that arm grew back. Should I remove it for you once more?" Bull ran quickly along the ground and moved to stand between Sakura and Kabuto in a defensive stance. His fur stood on end and he began to growl viciously.

"It looks like the calvary has arrived," Sakura said. She couldn't help but be overjoyed at Itachi's return. She'd feared that he'd been lost. And having Bull was another reminder that Master Kakashi was never too far away. Best teacher ever. She should get him a placard when this whole war thing was over.

"We're on the same team," Deirdara said cowering back from Itachi. Fear from his previous life remained vivid.

"I do know that the leader of the Akatsuki does not wish for Sasuke to die," Itachi answered doing some basic ninjutsu and misdirecting Deirdara's bomb to fall to the nearby body of water.

"I don't understand how you're acting on your own," Kabuto said with a frown observing the fight. "The impure world resurrection technique should have negated that possibility."

Sasori sent one of his puppets flying to intercept Itachi and knock him off Deirdara's transport. Itachi burst into a murder of ravens and dispersed. He materialized in front of Kabuto.

"How about you tell me more about this impure world resurrection technique?" Itachi asked, unlocking the powers of his Sharingan. He could force Kabuto to share the secret to the jutsu and shut it down.

The white haired snake medic flicked out his tongue nervously. "You can't kill me. Even if I die, the technique will continue." He narrowed his eyes as if this was information he didn't want to share.

"I don't have to kill you, but when I'm through you'll be begging me to end your life," Itachi promised.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen:**

Sakura fought hard to keep a step ahead of Sasori's attacks. The puppet master kept giving her tips on how to evade him, but she was too distracted worrying about both Itachi and Sasuke. Mostly, she worried that if Itachi's body was destroyed if his soul would be lost too.

"You must pay attention, Haruno," Sasori warned. She was grateful that she was facing the Sand ninja in his human form and not his creepy scorpion armor puppet, Hiruko. "My puppets are going to attack from both above and below. And then they will take a cheap shot at your ally."

Sakura used a chakra-laced fist to punch through the puppet below the earth and narrowly avoided the chakra strings that would have torn her in half from the puppet above. It redirected and aimed for Sasuke, but he was able to evade in time. He glanced over in her direction after narrowly avoiding another bomb by Deidara. Though the bomb seemed more accidental as the blond Akatsuki was currently trying to run away from Itachi's water clone, while the real Itachi was currently battling Kabuto Yakushi.

"We need to work together," Sakura said coming back to back against Sasuke. "I will clear a path and you slice Sasori down the middle."

Sasuke nodded and after she slammed her fist into the ground disrupting the puppet master's equilibrium Sasuke pounced and sliced his chidori crackling chakra infused sword down Sasori's center. He joined back up with Sakura and in stunned disbelief they watched as the severed parts of Sasori knitted themselves back together.

"I cannot be defeated. The best you can hope for is to slow me down and escape," Sasori explained as his lips re-attached to his face. "Perhaps if you had some Sand ninja you'd be able to seal my spirit."

Sasuke stood back to back to Sakura again and spoke over his shoulder to her ear. "That's creepy."

"Indeed," Sakura agreed.

Suigetsu had one of Deidara's bombs directed at him and he transformed into his water state and reappeared next to them. "I can only evade for so long. What are we supposed to do?"

Good question. Sakura bit down on her bottom lip and watched as Sasori sent another attack their way. She grabbed hold of Sasuke's arm and they did a substitution jutsu simultaneously. The puppet master shattered the logs they had used as replacements as well as caused Suigetsu to melt into countless droplets of water.

"Crow Clone Technique," Itachi said calmly as he performed the appropriate symbols. His clone appeared in front of Sakura and Sasuke as one of Deidara's bombs was aimed in their direction. The image of Itachi exploded into black feathers as it blocked the bomb.

"Close call, thanks!" Sakura shouted at Itachi. The stoic Uchiha glanced at her briefly, but otherwise didn't acknowledge them as he and Kabuto seemed to be engaged in a battle of taijutsu. The medic ninja was nimble, but whenever he destroyed part of Itachi's body it would scatter into ash briefly before reforming and he was once more whole. It was incredibly disturbing to see her friend constantly torn apart and reformed-it was a reminder that he was no longer a flesh and blood human.

Itachi performed the Burning Paper Body genjutsu on Kabuto and the medic stood stock-still snared in the vision. A trickle of blood seeped out of the corner of Itachi's black eyes and he abandoned the trapped Kabuto and leaped back upon Deidara's crane where he created a metal band to encircle Deidara and trap his arms to his sides. The band began to heat up and the blonde Akatsuki broke apart into ash before he started to reform-one arm fell to the ground more or less intact and Bull rushed towards it.

Itachi jumped off Deidara's crane and landed in front of Sakura. He did a series of seals with his hands and she could hear the word Susano and suddenly a great red creature formed a protective barrier around them as well as Sasuke's allies. Bull dropped the arm he'd picked up from Deidara's exploding corpse and was barking excitedly and exploring the area within the barrier.

"Are we inside a giant samurai?" Suigetsu asked.

"We should be safe for a few moments," Itachi answered. "You should have been able to create Susanoo yourself, little brother," he scolded Sasuke.

Sasuke said nothing, not wanting to admit that his failing eyes wouldn't allow him to access the powers Itachi had bestowed upon him.

The center of the battle field began to warp and the mysterious Tobi appeared. He surveyed the scene. "Nice Susanoo," he complemented with a glance towards Itachi. "It's a shame you're not on my side since I went through all the trouble to have you brought back. Talk about ungrateful."

"Oh, I'm quite grateful, thank you, Tobi."

"You know, I never really thought you were disloyal to the Leaf. I suspected since I helped you kill our clan that it was under orders of the elders, not your quest to be the strongest as you claimed. Though, since it let me destroy those that had betrayed me in the past I was happy to help. Madaara was right when he said the Uchiha line needed to be purged so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone," Tobi continued.

"So you admit, you aren't Madaara?" Sasuke demanded.

Tobi shrugged. "Who knows? I guess you'll find out later, assuming you live long enough." The reanimated Sasori and Deidara along with the enslaved Kabuto were teleported away as the four of them vanished.

Itachi allowed Susano to dissolve around them as the danger was no longer present.

"It's over?" Juugo asked as he shifted Anko's weight across his broad shoulders.

"It is only just starting; we are at a brief reprieve," Itachi answered. "And unfortunately, I did not have time to create a more permanent genjutsu to trap Kabuto within. Surely Madaara or whomever Tobi is would be able to break him out of the Burning Paper Body trap."

Sakura tapped Itachi on the shoulder and he looked over at her. "What is going on? How are you here? How were they here?"

His eyes were different. Instead of white conjunctiva they were black. His eyes were now a solid black. "Kabuto will be back. He wants that woman," he said indicating Anko. "And it would seem that Madaara and Tobi are not the same person. Madaara was also reanimated. This is especially bothersome because it means whomever Tobi is also helped me with the massacre of my clan, not Madaara. There is another living Uchiha full of more rage than I can possibly imagine."

His voice may have lacked any sort of emotion, but Sakura was grateful for the explanation. Itachi's patience in explaining seemed to be innate in life and death, or perhaps undeath. She wondered what it would have been like to be under his command when he was an Anbu captain at tender age of thirteen. Probably the other adults didn't appreciate his know-it-all disposition.

"What exactly are you doing, Sasuke?" Itachi demanded. Finally, there was some emotion in his voice. It was anger, but it was an emotion.

"Why are you able to control your body? The others were like puppets. The puppet Akatsuki was even giving Sakura tips on how to avoid his attacks," Sasuke said ignoring Itachi's question in favor for some of his own.

"I don't believe Kabuto has learned how to control the will of his reanimations yet, but he will. And I had a certain jutsu in place so that should someone try to resurrect me, I would not be under their control. My prerogative would be to protect Konoha." Itachi glanced toward Sakura and his eyes seemed to take in every little scratch. "You still managed to get injured with Sasori telling you how to avoid his attacks?"

"You really do have a contingency plan for everything," Sakura groaned. "And the chakra strings he uses normally would cut a person in half, so I think I did pretty well considering I was trying to keep Sasuke's team safe and we were constantly having bombs thrown in our direction," Sakura answered defensively.

"They aren't my team," Sasuke muttered.

"They hell we aren't," Suigetsu roared. "Do you know what trouble we've gone through to bring this woman to you? Do you know how many people want to kill us _all the time_?"

"Don't take it personally, he wants to consider himself a loner. He tried to kill Naruto and myself several times whenever the occasion presented itself," Sakura explained. "And he did kill his brother," she said with a gesture toward Itachi.

"It was more that I allowed him to finish me off since I was already dying. Consider it a compliment he has found you useful and has not killed you yet," Itachi agreed.

Juugo frowned and said nothing. He picked up Anko's unconscious body. "What should we do now?"

"I know what Sasuke needs to do," Itachi answered. "Sakura's healing of your eyes is only temporary. You must retrieve my eyes and they are in the compound I just left from. They were already removed and placed in a preservative. When I was resurrected I was put back into the state right before I died, this is not my true body, it is like a clay shell of some sort to house my soul."

"What are you planning to do?" Sakura asked in worry.

"I need to find Kabuto and stop him. If he brought me back, no doubt he brought back Pain. He was nearly impossible for Naruto to beat when he had reason, but mindless and destructive he will need to be stopped from the source. I believe I will know how to stop Kabuto with a little more time to plan."

"He said if he was killed that the jutsu would still continue," Sakura said.

"I will not kill him, only place him in an eternal genjutsu," Itachi explained. "I am the only one that can do it."

"What will happen to you?" It was Sasuke that asked.

Itachi stared back at him with a blank expression. "I am already dead, so it doesn't matter." He closed the distance between him and his brother and reached out to poke Sasuke in the forehead with his finger. "However, if I am given another chance to protect Konoha, I must take it."

"Jeez, how about you give yourself a break?" Suigetsu suggested.

"If I had, you would be dead," Itachi countered.

"Good point. Have success on your mission then," he said with a wide smile.

"I have to speak with Orochimaru," Sasuke said while rubbing his forehead.

"Why?" Itachi asked, a hint of exacerbation in his tone.

"He has answers to my questions."

"And what questions are those. I have quite a few answers too," Itachi answered.

"I need to know about the founding of Konoha, why Madaara hates the village so much, and to do so I need to speak with the four Hokages."

"You're planning to go back to the Uchiha stronghold?" Itachi asked. "And bring Orochimaru there? Are you out of your mind? Leave the Hokages to rest in peace. Madaara was jealous of the First Hokage Hashirama Senju, plain and simple. They were best friends, but Madaara couldn't stand to be second best though the First never saw him that way. I need you to retrieve my eyes with Sakura and have them implanted or you will be a blind and useless ninja, Sasuke Uchiha."

"What about Tobi? Who is he?" Sakura asked.

"I will leave the solving of that question to the great minds of Shikaku Nara and Kakashi Hatake," Itachi answered. "Follow me, I will take you to my eyes." He glanced at Sasuke's Taka teammates. "You might as well come along and bring the ninja woman."

"I don't need help. I'll retrieve your eyes," Sakura said. "And if Sasuke goes blind in the meantime, that's his problem." She crouched down and gave Bull an affection rub down of the fur on his neck. "I'm sure Bull can lead me back there."

"You can't go by yourself," Itachi countered. "And the eyes might not be viable through transport. The safest thing would be to have Sasuke there for the transplant as soon as possible."

"You're planning to go off by yourself. That's the reason you died. You were always trying to do things yourself," Sakura argued.

"I need to stop Kabuto."

"Then let us stop Kabuto. Sasuke doesn't seem interested in the eye transplant. Apparently he'd rather talk to the Snake Sannin rather than be able to see and use his eyes ever again," Sakura said glaring at Sasuke.

"You're being annoying. I didn't say I didn't want to be able to see. My Sharingan is essential in avenging my clan," Sasuke said folding his arms over his chest.

"You need to get over it. Your avenging spirit will do nothing to bring back your clan," Sakura said, her fists were clenched at her side.

"You don't understand."

Sakura closed the distance between her and Sasuke and reared back her fist and punched him soundly in the face, but without the aid of chakra because he wasn't as strong as Naruto and she didn't think Itachi would appreciate her killing his little brother. He went stumbling back a few feet. "You're a ninja. You need to act like one. We lose our loved ones all the time. That is what it is to be a ninja-protect the weak at the expense of our own lives. Itachi knows that, so does Naruto and Kakashi and Neji and every Leaf and all the other Five Great Ninja Villages that are allied together. Madaara and Tobi are Uchiha and they are the source of the current war. You either side with them or you side with me and Itachi. Your Uchiha relatives are also responsible for the war that killed both of Naruto's parents. You don't see him vowing to kill every last Uchiha, do you?"

"I don't have to side with anyone," Sasuke said rubbing his jaw as a deep purple bruise started to form.

"Then you can be blind and pathetic, because without me or without Madaara you will not have your eyes fixed. You pick and you pick now."

"Fine, I'll go with you for now," Sasuke agreed.

"Oh yeah, do me a favor by allowing me to heal you," Sakura said between clenched teeth.

"I will accompany you to the compound first, Kabuto might be there or might have left a clue as to his next location," Itachi said. "You two," he said gesturing toward Sasuke's team Taka and the unconscious Anko, "You will remain in this area cowering or you will join the five ninja villages. The Mist kage is resonable and would welcome you back."

Juugo looked toward Sasuke in askance. "Do as he says; make your own choice."

"I thought you wanted us to go with you," Suigetsu said with a frown.

"With as much difficulty as these two are having getting along I don't need any more distractions, you will stay here," Itachi ordered.

"Do you think this means Kisame Hoshigaki has also been resurrected?" Suigetsu asked with obvious interest.

"I do not believe that Kisame was ever dead. I believe he is currently part of Killer Bee's sword Samehada, he was absorbed by that sword's hunger," Itachi said thoughtfully. "So not dead, but not really alive either."

"Hn. Well maybe we'll just wait here and see if he happens by," Suigetsu suggested.

"The decision is yours to make," Sasuke said. "Meet me back at the Uchiha clan's section of the Leaf village in a week."

"I don't think we'll be welcome to the Leaf village," Juugo said.

"Then wait outside the village and I'll find you," Sasuke said while frustratingly running his hands through his hair.

**OoO**

Itachi stood watch over Sakura and Sasuke's sleeping forms. As a ghost he didn't have the same energy that he possessed now that he was reanimated. It felt like his mind was at full force without a hint of growing weary. Bull seemed to enjoy keeping him company which surprised him. He would think that the ninja dog would avoid him in his current state, but perhaps the dog sensed his loneliness.

Sakura was stirring in her sleep though Sasuke slept soundly. Itachi moved to sit beside Sakura and rested his back against the tree trunk she had positioned her sleeping bag near. He found himself wondering what she'd be dreaming of and he regretted that he couldn't enter her dreams and train her.

"You feeling okay?" Sakura asked, surprising him by being awake. He looked down and met her emerald gaze.

"You should sleep," he suggested.

"I can't help but feel more anxious than usual," Sakura said scooting near him and sitting up to share the trunk with him. He could feel her weight as she pressed her shoulder against his, but he couldn't feel warmth. "What thoughts are going through your mind?"

"Have you known me to be chatty? Why would I divulge the thoughts on my mind?"

"You've been pretty chatty with me over the past couple of weeks," Sakura countered.

"I wasn't myself," Itachi argued.

"I think you were finally being yourself. The Itachi Uchiha without obligations and duties."

"There is no such person," he stated. He looked off into the distance. "Though, for a short while I suppose I was just Itachi. The name Uchiha holds too much weight." He looked over toward Sasuke's sleeping form. "I have yet to meet a happy Uchiha. Shisui was probably the closest to happy of the Uchiha and all that earned him was to be a target of Danzo. I sometimes wonder if Shisui had lived if things might have been different. Perhaps he'd have found another way to avoid the revolt."

Silence stretched out into the night. In the distance an owl hooted, the cicada chorused, and Bull collapsed at Sakura's feet and immediately started to snore loudly in his sleep. "I miss our training," Sakura said quietly.

"You did well today," Itachi assured her.

"Only because you were there helping us. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there. I was so worried when you disappeared. I thought you had left," she trailed off. "I'm still not powerful enough, but one day I will be."

"Eventually, I will be gone, Sakura. I shouldn't be here now."

"But you are and that has to mean something." She reached down and took hold of the hand at his side and held it tight entwining their fingers.

Itachi felt no warmth at holding hands with Sakura. He wanted to, but he felt nothing but a deep-seated sadness. Everything he did was for his brother and if anything Sakura Haruno was meant to belong to Sasuke-they just needed to convince Sasuke of that. He felt her hand go slack and within a few moments she was sleeping soundly. Itachi pulled his hand out of her grasp and had intended to lay her back gently on the ground, but she slipped and the next thing he knew her cheek was resting cushioned against his thigh. With an unnecessary sigh he stroked his hand through her loose pink hair as it fanned across his pants leg. At least she was wearing non-descriptive clothing and not her blatant red.

She was surely meant for Sasuke, but it wouldn't hurt to enjoy these few stolen moments before his consciousness was taken from the world a final time.

He used his free hand to create two shadow clones-both out of ravens as he preferred them to his water clones. He sent one back to the Akatsuki headquarters which was most likely abandoned to gather the items that Sakura and Sasuke had left behind. The second clone he sent toward wherever Kakashi Hatake might be to offer assistance to Naruto and also to bring back a Leaf green flak vest for Sakura. He would have liked to have worn one himself, but didn't think he deserved it and certainly Sasuke hadn't earned one.

The clones vanished quickly heading toward their target locations. Itachi rested his head against the tree's rough bark and prayed for peace. He'd spent his whole life and death fighting for it.


	18. Chapter 18

_A/N: It's a loooong chapter, sorry about that, but I needed to spit it all out. I'm trying for bimonthly updates as I've got the next few chapters plotted out and I'm incredibly motivated!_

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen:**

Kakashi watched over Team 10, Asuma's former students, as they were training. There was a scouting mission he was about to send them on and he wanted to assess their skills before sending them out as it had been some time since he'd gone with them to avenge Asuma against Hidan. He was confident that the Ino–Shika–Chō trio could handle most situations It was highly likely that they'd be facing their old sensei with the horrors of the reanimation jutsu. He didn't know how many former allies had been brought back to a semblance of life to fight against them, but the reports were not promising. Kakashi wasn't too happy with his current assignment-being leader of Konoha was not on his list of goals. While he tried very hard to not express his emotions; he was grateful for the mask that covered his face because he had been sporting a frown for some time now.

Every single one of his precious Team 7 and Team Kakashi students were off on a dangerous mission and he wasn't there to support them. Sure, Naruto was with Killer Bee and frankly there was no one stronger than either of them, but as Madaara seemed to be out for the tailed beasts and they were two of the last three they were certainly targeted. However, Bee was helping Naruto form an alliance with his beast so technically it was like a four man squad between them. Sai was doing reconnaissance with Yamato. And lastly and most worrisome was Sakura who was currently with Sasuke-three years ago having her with Sasuke he knew the Uchiha would keep her safe, but not now. He still regretted how he spent more time with Sasuke instead of equally dividing his time amongst his original Team 7. However, both Naruto and Sakura improved dramatically with their Sannin mentors. And while Sakura had Bull with her and a kunai that would allow him to teleport to her in an emergency, but he couldn't help but worry. He still remembered the shy twelve year old that would do anything to impress her dark-haired emotionally disturbed teammate and considering her current mission-one not sanctioned by the Hokage, put her in harms' way under the attention of said former teammate his worries were justifiable.

He knew that as soon as Tsunade woke up from her coma that she'd demand to know Sakura's whereabouts or she'd send her slug to Sakura and find out that way. And since Kakashi was somehow the unofficial Hokage-in-action, as after the Danzo fiasco the other Kages (particularly Gaara) wouldn't recognize anyone but him, he took responsibility for her mission. If anyone could convince Sasuke to rejoin their team it would either be Sakura or Naruto-and yet several times the wayward Uchiha had tried to kill both of them. He could feel the crackle of electricity in his fingertips at the thought of Sasuke hurting Sakura. He would without a doubt end that troublesome boy without a second thought.

And perhaps he should stop lamenting the woes of his Team 7 and pay attention to the team in front of him.

He sensed an incoming presence and stood poised to attack when Itachi Uchiha in all his Akatsuki glory appeared before him. He had the black eyes of the reanimated. Even if Itachi had been a loyal ninja of Konoha he wouldn't trust him since according to Neji's reports you couldn't trust any of the reanimated ninjas, but then that report also had included a run in with Itachi Uchiha. However, Kakashi vividly remembered being tortured by the Uchiha before him and there was no love lost between the two.

"Hatake-san," Itachi said holding his hands up in a non-hostile fashion. "I come to you without hostile intentions. I am a clone of Itachi Uchiha. He has been resurrected by the jutsu of Kabuto Yakushi and that twisted minion of Orochimaru will continue to revive former allies and enemies alike."

"Am I to believe you are a friend of Konoha?" Kakashi said, his posture not relaxing at all. His muscles were coiled to spring into action the moment he needed to do so. Team 10 had paused in their training and stood in a semi-circle behind Kakashi ready to join in the fray if necessary.

"I have never been anything, but loyal to Konoha," Itachi answered. "If I had wanted you or Naruto dead you would be. I served as a double agent. Search the most secret archives that only the Hokage and high council has access if you want the truth behind the massacre. When Kabuto reanimated me he could not control me due to a jutsu I had placed upon myself should someone try to utilize me in such a fashion."

"And why would you think to put a jutsu on yourself to prevent being reanimated in death?" Kakashi asked feeling incredulous.

"I had seen that Orochimaru had brought back the dead before and couldn't risk falling into enemy hands. Also, Nagato, or Pain as you may have called him was also capable of using the dead as weapons. I am the one that send Sakura on her mission. I had placed certain items and clues to her that should I perish without bringing Sasuke back to Konoha's side she would finish the job."

"I didn't realize you were familiar with Ms. Haruno," Kakashi said coldly.

"What did you do to Sakura, you monster!" Ino shouted, enraged at the idea of her best friend being sent into more danger for the Uchihas. She started to storm toward Kakashi and Itachi, but was held back by Choji while Shikamaru did a face palm and muttered about short-tempered blonds.

Itachi's clone looked past Kakashi toward Ino's direction. "I made a request I was sure she'd honor." He turned back to Kakashi and his voice was lowered so that the others could not hear. "I would allow you to place me in a genjutsu to discuss these things privately, but that would dispell my clone. As I spied for Konoha on the Akatsuki I admit that I also watched my brother and his teammates. He could not have been more blessed in teammates and friends. I apologize for turning him into an ungrateful terror. I realize now that I should have encouraged him to grow not using hate, but it is too late for that."

"Is she in danger?" the Copy Ninja asked, not caring to listen to Itachi discuss where he went wrong with Sasuke. He could give a long enough dialogue about that himself.

"Madaara wasn't fooled into believing her to willingly join the Akatsuki, even if Sasuke claimed she was loyal to him. Nobody trusts Sasuke, and with good reason. I do not want her to be mistaken for a traitor so I was hoping that you might agree to allow me to bring her Konoha uniform to her. She's been wearing non-descriptive ninja wear, but now she just has that ridiculous bright red shirt of hers."

"Naruto wears orange," Kakashi pointed out.

"And don't think she didn't point that out to me," Itachi said with narrowed eyes. "I want her to wear the green flak jacket of the Leaf, if you would approve. I do not want her to be mistaken as an enemy. The remaining Akatsuki already realize she never turned."

Kakashi patted a scroll he had stuck in his pocket. It held the green flak jackets he had acquired to give both Sakura and Naruto the next time he was to see them. "Next time I see Sakura I'll be sure to give her the jacket that she has earned. Surely, you didn't travel all the way to see me just to ask for fashion advice."

"No," Itachi agreed. "The one mission that Sakura and Sasuke were sent on by the Akatsuki was to send a scroll to the ninja being recruited to track down the six-tailed beast. I believe she is the only one to remain at large aside from Naruto and Bee."

"And you have this information?"

"I do," Itachi said pulling out a scroll and handing it to Kakashi. "That is the coordinates of the base of operations for the Lightning ninja seeking the six tails. It also gives a decent description on the jinchuriki."

"If Madaara didn't trust Sakura and Sasuke; how do you know this is accurate?"

"I don't. At the time he was short on shinobi, so there is a possibility this is accurate. He didn't intend that I would be aiding them and he had sent reanimated Akatsuki to kill them to possibly tie up loose ends. He might have succeeded had I not interceded. There is one more thing. Madaara and Tobi are not the same person. Tobi reanimated Madaara. I have no idea who Tobi might actually be, but he is the one that aided me in my mission to massacre my clan. Even with my skill I was not capable of killing so many skilled ninja."

Kakashi nodded, suspecting as much about Tobi not being Madaara. He had his own fears about the identity of Tobi given that the one visible eye that the mask showed was the opposite of his won Sharingan. Coincidence? "Where are Sakura and Sasuke now?"

"They are with me. I plan to utilize Sakura's skill once more and then I will allow her to return to you. She will be surgically implanting my eyes into Sasuke-it is the only way to restore his vision. It is a time honored Uchiha tradition among the elite fighters. As we wear out our natural eyes we basically trade with another member of our family and both of us have restored vision. This only affects those that utilize our gifts excessively. I actually hadn't needed a transplant as I preferred to use my powers sparingly."

"And Sasuke doesn't understand restraint," Kakashi agreed.

"Bull still travels at Sakura's side. I will keep her safe," Itachi's clone vowed.

"Alright, but if you fail I will kill you a second time."

"Understood. Before I leave, do you have any thing you would like me to say to Sakura or Sasuke?"

"Just let her know that Tsunade is still comatose and that she better be back from her mission before she wakes up. I have nothing more to say to Sasuke that he hasn't heard before."

The Itachi clone stared at him blankly before it burst into ravens and vanished, bringing the memories of the encounter back to the real Itachi.

Kakashi sighed and rubbed his covered Sharingan eye absently. Team 10 rushed down to his side. "Everything is fine," he assured them.

"How can it be fine? That was Itachi Uchiha! And Sasuke has Sakura!" Ino shouted.

"Itachi is on our side and Sakura can take care of herself. She is the apprentice of the Hokage," Kakashi said reassuringly.

"And Naruto is the most powerful ninja in Konoha, yet between those two they always seem to find the most trouble," Shikamaru said considering the situation. "Who's idea what it to put those three on a team together in the first place?"

As it had been Kakashi and Jiraiya's idea he chose to keep quiet.

**OoO**

They traveled in silence, as usual. Bull kept up beside her and Itachi led and Sasuke was in the back of their party. Sakura's nerves were frayed as she worried about the surgery of transplanting Itachi's eyes into Sasuke. It wasn't the actual surgery she worried about as much as seeing Itachi's corpse. She still couldn't believe he was gone considering he was running right in front of her, holding conversation, and frustrating her by being the most interesting man she'd known. She glanced over her shoulder at Sasuke and his dark eyes met hers briefly before she looked forward once more.

Her teammate and the boy she loved threw everything away in a selfish hate while his brother gave everything up for the sake of protecting his village from a possible threat. The difference between the two was astonishing, but she knew that Itachi's tactics to make Sasuke stronger actually resulted in his emotional instability. No matter how much she and Naruto cared for the boy he could care less about them, as was evident by the times he'd tried to kill them since having left Leaf. However, she doubted that he wanted to kill her now, but perhaps that was because of Itachi's protection or because he finally realized her value.

She was so lost in thought she almost ran into Itachi's still form on the branch in front of her. She caught herself just in time, but silently berated her distraction. Bull looked up at her as if to ask her where her mind went and she gave him a quick rub between the ears and waited. Sasuke landed beside her on the branch and said nothing. His presence unnerved her, he'd been sticking closer to her the whole day. Did he think that the reanimated Itachi was going to hurt her? They'd been dealing with his ghost for weeks, why would his physical form be any more harmful?

"Can you look at my eyes during our next break?" Sasuke asked quietly.

Sakura looked up at him in surprise. Maybe that was why he was sticking closer to her, not because he was concerned, but because he couldn't see as well. She gave a curt nod, but otherwise remained silent waiting for Itachi's next orders. One of his scout ravens returned and they seemed to communicate somehow. He raised his left hand and signaled that they should move two kilometers to the east. They took off in the requested direction.

Sakura really missed Sai and his ink birds. The trip would be so much easier if they could just ride on one of his flying creations. Even Bull was looking exhausted. It must have been extra draining on the ninja dog to remain corporal for so long. Or if Naruto was there he'd probably volunteer to carry everyone piggyback. Or if Tobi or Madaara or whatever was a good guy his teleportation technique would be so handy!

She needed to stop letting her thoughts run away from her so instead she focused on watching Itachi as he ran in front of her. His dark hair whipped behind him as did his cloak, she could see his firm butt and sure footing. She wondered what it would have been like had he not been ordered to murder his clan. He had been an Anbu Captain. Would he ever have been her captain? It was probably best that he wasn't her captain because there would have been no way she could have stayed focused. She'd probably turn into a twelve year old fangirl again. She shuddered at the idea and decided to end the fantasy there.

However, if he was still Anbu Captain and happened to become injured and she was the amazing medic that he requested by name and she saved his life and impressed him with her amazing skills and precise control of chakra he'd have fallen madly in love with her. No doubt, he would have defied his arrange marriage and changed the Uchiha clan by introducing new blood. She'd be the matriarch of the powerful family and together they'd have worked to eliminate the hate and bring the clan peacefully in alliance with Konoha.

Her fantasy was going pretty well and she was absently following after Itachi when she snapped to full attention. One of Itachi's ravens had landed on her shoulder and she wasn't able to suppress her gasp. It must have been the second one that had returned from scouting. The bird nuzzled its head against her cheek and then vanished out of existence.

Itachi glanced at her over his shoulder with a deep frown before returning his attention to the front. It was as if he berated her with that one scowl more than a tirade from Tsunade. She stayed absolutely focused until they reached their target rest stop. And she had decided that she was definitely glad that Itachi had not been her captain-she'd have been constantly disappointing.

"We will rest here," Itachi declared. He had brought them to a small cave within the woods that without his scouting ravens surely would have been next to impossible to discover. "I will find some food and water for you two while Sakura you need to inspect Sasuke's eyes, keep him stable."

Then he was gone and Bull followed after him, wasn't he supposed to be loyally protecting her? Sakura felt her stomach drop in dread. She really didn't want to be alone with Sasuke; zombie Itachi definitely was better company. "Ironic that he's the one that doesn't need rest, water, or food and yet is having us rest," Sakura commented.

"Hn," Sasuke said rubbing his temples. "My vision is getting darker again, I'm started to see shadows instead of defined colors."

"All right. Have a seat then and I'll examine you," Sakura said. Sasuke did as requested and she raised her fingers to his temples and her thumbs pressed lightly against his closed eyelids. She concentrated with her medical chakra and explored the pathways of his optic nerve and unique Sharingan anatomy. The work she'd done earlier had been nearly exhausted and a few days more and there was no doubt that he'd be blind. Part of her was tempted to finish the job. If he was blind he'd have to give up his quest for revenge. He'd already killed Danzo, who was the main guilty party, shouldn't he let it go from here?

"Did you hear about the battle between Naruto and Nagato?" Sakura asked while concentrating.

"No. I'm sure its someone that Dead Last managed to defeat by the seat of his pants."

Sakura said nothing as she focused and mended what she could. His vision should be a little clearer, it was at least stable for a few more days' time. The transplant would have to occur. She drew her fingers back when she finished. "Keep your eyes closed for about an hour," she advised. She used a spare bandage she had in her pouch and wrapped it securely around his eyes. "I'll remove the bandage once the swelling is done and can use your eyes without too much strain."

"I take it you're going to blabber on about Naruto and his epic battles?" Sasuke grunted.

"As a matter of fact, I am. You are not the only one to face off against the Great Naruto Uzumaki! Nagato, or you may know him as Pain, was also one of Jiriaya's students. He hated war. War had led to the death of all his family and most of his village. He and his two friends were living together in the wild when Jiriaya happened across them. He decided to train them so that they could better defend themselves and protect those around them."

"Too late. All their family was already dead."

"It's never too late to learn to protect people important to you," Sakura countered.

"Nagato had two dear friends, Konan and Yahiko. Sadly, Yahiko died and Nagato had an unique bloodline ability. He was recruited by Tobi to join Akatsuki in order to fulfill Nagato's dream of peace. In his belief peace would be obtain by making everyone suffer Pain. However, Naruto was able to reason with him in their final battle and in the end Pain wanted peace and saw that Naruto's way was the best."

"So the idiot convinced the majorly depressed fake leader of Akatsuki to give up?" Sasuke asked.

"The point, is that inflicting pain on others because you have gone through pain only begets more pain. Someone has to let it go and move on. One person's revenge will lead to another person's revenge. It is a never ending cycle."

"They killed my entire family, Sakura."

"And Itachi wanted you to live so that you might grow up without the demands and expectations of such an overbearing clan. He wanted the Uchihas to start fresh and move beyond old rivalries that have persisted since before the founding on Konoha."

"Sakura," Itachi said stepping into the cave. "Your words fall upon deaf ears."

"I hear what she says perfectly," Sasuke said crossing his arms defiantly across his chest. While his eyes were blindfolded he still turned to face his brother.

"Hearing and listening are two different things," Itachi clarified. He dropped a pouch full of berries and roots on the ground. Bull came running into the cave with a dead fowl caught between his jaws and dropped the bird at Sakura's feet with an excited wag of his tail. Itachi then pulled out a large pouch full of water and started to heat it up to rid it of possible impurities that could make them sick.

As the fowl roasted the trio sat in silence. Sakura grew impatient at the stubbornly quiet brothers. "You do both realize that this might be the only time you two have to really get to know one another."

Itachi looked over at her, Sasuke's eyes were still covered but his posture became more stiff. The elder Uchiha absently poked at the fire. "Ask me anything."

Sasuke made no move to speak.

"Come on, Sasuke. Surely, you have something you want to ask Itachi. This will be your only chance," Sakura coaxed.

"We aren't Genin anymore, Sakura. You can't make me play twenty questions with you and Naruto around the camp fire to pass the time."

"Actually, I'm a Chunin on my way to become a Jounin. You however, Sasuke-kun, are still are Genin," Sakura said sweetly. The dark haired boy glowered at her through his blindfold, but said nothing. She turned her attention to Itachi who was watching the exchange with a bland expression. "What's it like to be in your current form? Is it very different from when you were a ghost?"

Itachi shifted slightly. "Both forms are certainly less painful than my last few years of life. This reincarnated form is strange in that it is very hollow and yet I can still access my memories and personality. I can still feel worry and concern as well." He jerked slightly. "My clone spoke with Kakashi. You are to return to him after the transplant."

"Any word on Tsunade?" Sakura asked. She knew that when your clone returned to your body you gained the knowledge and experiences of that clone. It was always a bit of a shock to have the sensations brought to her mind. She still couldn't fathom how Naruto managed with so many shadow clones.

"Still comatose, however, you'll be pleased to know that you're not in trouble with Konoha for carrying out my request. Kakashi is the interim Hokage and since he gave you permission you won't be in danger of being declared a missing nin," Itachi elaborated.

"Wait, Kakashi knows you're here? Is that why you have that dog?" Sasuke asked.

"Some of us feel responsible and don't like to leave our teammates behind without any knowledge of what mission they are undertaking," Sakura said defensively. She was worried about Tsunade still being in a coma, but relieved that Kakashi was the one in charge. It would make it easier if she didn't have to explain why she'd been off with Sasuke for the past few weeks. Hopefully, she'd be able to get back to the Leaf before her master woke up.

"And besides, you killed the last interim Hokage, though I can't say anyone actually misses Danzo."

"You know that's not true, Sakura. I told you where I was going when I left Konoha. I even thanked you," Sasuke argued addressing her first point.

"Right after you declared me annoying and then knocked me out so that I couldn't keep you from being an idiot."

"You seem to be doing all right for yourself."

"That's because Naruto and I know how to work hard and we're determined people. And since our teammate abandoned us we had to become stronger so we could save him from being body-snatched by a snake!"

"Sounds like I did you a favor. If Team 7 had stayed together we'd have all been weakened into a sense of complacency. We'd have depended upon one another and not been independently strong. You should thank me."

"Oh yes, thank you, Sasuke-kun! Thank you for abandoning your teammates that loved and cared for and just wanted you to be happy. Now you're a murderer and a missing nin! Thank you for abandoning us so that Naruto went off with Jiraiya and Kakashi vanished into Anbu once again leaving me without a team and without a purpose."

"Children, please," Itachi groaned. "And Sakura, stop lamenting the actions of a selfish twelve year old boy that was and still is emotionally disturbed. You are a medical professional, you should realize now that if Sasuke had stayed you and Naruto would not have developed into the impressively talented shinobi that you are."

"It's not like you're much older than us," Sakura argued. She waited a moment to process everything Itachi had said. "And I guess thanks for that glowing report on Naruto and mine's worth as shinobi."

"It isn't a glowing report as much as a simple observation. I did watch your team closely when you were with and without Sasuke. While he may deny it, your Team 7 made bonds with him that no matter how hard he tries he can't seem to severe. It gets in the way of being an emotionless avenger. There is a reason I can count the number of people I would consider friend on one hand. I have a lifetime's experience of tragedy. It ages you. While you were at the academy at the same age I was leading a squad of Anbu in the last war," Itachi explained.

"And when I was six years old I had to watch my entire family murdered by my beloved older brother," Sasuke retorted angrily.

"Finally, now we get to the topic that has plagued your mind for the past decade and caused you to severe any real relationships you might have made," Sakura said.

"If I had not completed the order, the council would have sent someone else. If I agreed, then at least I could save you. Shisui was the only one that might have been able to help me stop it from happening, but Danzo took his eye. Shisui found me and gave me his other eye, you remember the powerful genjutsu he was capable of, and then he ended his life to protect the village."

"People are always destroying each other for power," Sakura muttered unhappily. She reached over and began to stir the roots that Itachi had gathered, the plan was for soup and roasted fowl-she wasn't exactly sure what kind of bird it was, but thought it best not to ask. All the debate amongst them was making her hungry.

Itachi reached across the distance in the cramped cave and poked Sasuke in the forehead. "Little brother, one day I hope you find peace." The elder Uchiha took the roasted fowl off the the spoke over the fire and began to chop it into pieces and then dumped the meat into the pot of soup a few minutes passed as the meal finished being cooked.

"You can take off the blindfold now, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said as she began to dish out the soup into their little portable bowls. She cringed internally, the _kun_ just sort of slipped out that time. Her former teammate removed the bandages and looked back at her stonily. She waved two fingers in front of his face. "How many fingers."

"Two," he said before averting his eyes and taking the bowl she handed him. They didn't have utensils so they drank the soup out of the bowls. Itachi watched them in silence. He had no need for sustenance and it made Sakura sad. It was a cruel world indeed that wouldn't let Itachi Uchiha find peace.

"Sakura, after your dinner settles, I'd like to spar with you outside," Itachi said.

Sasuke looked over at his brother with a suspicious glint in his dark eyes. "Why? Wouldn't you rather spar with me?"

"I've had enough with you for the day," Itachi answered. "I'd rather work with Haruno-san, she seems to appreciate when others take the time to train her and improve her skills."

"She probably just wants to ogle you," Sasuke said standing up and going to the far end of the cave. He settled himself down to sleep. "Don't mind me, I'm just the one going blind."

It took a great deal of restraint to not throttle Sasuke for his attitude. Besides, she worried that she might jar something delicate in his eyes and she had just stabilized them. She started for the exit of the cave. "My stomach is settled enough," she declared without waiting to see if Itachi would follow.

She wasn't disappointed as the older Uchiha joined her outside. "I take it we won't be practicing inside of a genjutsu this time."

"No. I wanted to see how your reflexes were after taxing your energies on healing Sasuke," Itachi said throwing three kunai in Sakura's direction.

She twisted and and evaded, her medic skills of avoiding injury in battle came into play.

"Good. No substitution. I want you to evade using your flexibility and observation only," Itachi explained. "One moment," he said looking up into the trees. The clone he had sent back to the Akatsuki hideout in Rain to gather Sakura and Sasuke's things had returned. It handed the two bags hanging over his shoulder to Itachi and then poofed out of existence. "This should be the last of the belongings you two left at my former rooms."

"Oh good, I had a couple of books I had left there that I wanted to have back. They are rather rare medicinal texts," Sakura started to explain, but cut off whatever else she planned to say when Itachi sent another barrage of kunai in her direction. She had to back flip, handstand, do the splits, jump, crouch, and just when she thought she'd evaded all the projectiles a wave of fire came roaring at her.

She did the hand seals for a quick water jutsu to smother the flames.

"That was quick thinking," Itachi commented. "If you'd not had enough chakra what would you have done then?"

"I'd have run away from the battle if I didn't have enough chakra to fight with," Sakura said holding her hands against her thighs and panting slightly.

"Some battles you cannot run from," Itachi chided.

"Then I suppose I would either be saved miraculously by a teammate or I would perish defending Konoha."

Itachi vanished before her eyes and when he reappeared he stood behind her and had his arm wrapped under her neck in a choke hold. Sakura slipped out of his embrace and they began a flurry of attacks and blocks. Sakura felt her clothes sweated through in spite of the cold temperature and yet Itachi wasn't winded at all-perhaps because he didn't breathe anymore?

Itachi swept his leg under Sakura's foot and sent her tumbling to the earth and his body was suddenly pressed against her with his weight holding her in place, both her wrists held under the iron grip of his hands.

"It's a good thing you're not my enemy," Sakura said breathless. Her heart fluttered in her chest at his proximity.

His dark gaze settled upon her mouth and Sakura licked her lips in anticipation. She tried very hard to ignore the disappointment she felt when in loo of a well-deserved kiss he settled his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.

Itachi sighed out a breath he didn't need.

"Never your enemy," he agreed. He stood and effortlessly pulled her to her feet. "You'll freeze in that soaked shirt. We should return to the fire and you need to warm up." He didn't release her wrist as he led them back, nor did she pull out of his grasp.

* * *

_**Author Note:**_

_My life has been pretty hectic the last few months with a move, more work responsibilities, and planning my wedding. However, I faithfully read my Naruto manga and watch the anime and with all the excitement that's going on in the manga right now I was so inspired! Thank you for your continued support in spite of the sporadic nature of my updates! =)_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen:**

The Uchiha brothers were not very social, nor were they talkers. And they didn't complain. Sakura could appreciate that. It made it more difficult to be caught unaware when you traveled in a silent troop. However, it was times like these that she missed Naruto's constant determined comments about how he was going to be Hokage and that they needed to hurry up because someone was surely in danger, or Lee's comments about eternal youth, or Sai's awkward comments reflecting his complete ineptitude for social situations.

"Stop," Sasuke called out.

Sakura did as requested, but was a bit surprised. Was Sasuke Uchiha calling for a break? She glanced back at him. His face held the same blank, bored expression it normally did. But his dark eyes were unfocused.

"It would be wise to wait another hour to consume food if we are to keep on schedule," Itachi said backtracking toward them.

"I didn't realize we had a schedule to keep," Sasuke said through gritted teeth. "And I don't need to eat."

"You can't see," Sakura said knowing without asking that was the problem. Sasuke's lips thinned in frustration and he gave her a curt nod. "Madaara is the one that hid away Itachi's body. Regardless of when we find it, it will be a trap. We'll travel together," Sakura said decisively as she moved to stand beside her old teammate. She wrapped her arm around his waist and with a great deal of hesitation Sasuke put his arm around her shoulders.

"You got short," Sasuke murmured-a touch of humor in his voice.

"I am a perfectly average height for a kunoichi I'll have you know. You're just freakishly tall," Sakura countered.

"We'll pause for a food break," Itachi decided. His red on black eyes focused upon where Sasuke's arm was draped over Sakura's shoulders.

"Maybe I can sooth the discomfort of your eyes," Sakura said slipping her arm away from Sasuke and making herself comfortable on the ground. She reached into her travel pack and took out her canteen of water and a soldier pill. Sasuke sat down beside her and took one of her pro-offered soldier pills.

"You cannot heal blindness, Sakura," Itachi said hovering above her. He held out his hand and one of his black ravens landed upon it. They locked eyes and apparently held some sort of communication. "We aren't far from my body. It is not far from the borders of Sand."

"What about that Daijio Arai? The message we took to him when we were under the guise of the Akatsuki?" Sasuke asked.

"What about him?" Itachi countered. "You cannot think Madaara would have had you do anything important. It was probably a false lead."

"Not Madaara. You said yourself that he was reanimated as well. Whoever the masked man, Tobi, is had us speak with that man for a reason. I don't believe it was a set up. I think he still thinks I will side with him," Sasuke argued.

"Maybe," Itachi answered non-committed.

"I think it was the seven-tails jinchuriki. The only people the Akatsuki are seeking are the tailed-beasts and their human hosts. Aside from Naruto and Bee there only remains the seven-tails. And I'm pretty sure that host is a girl," Sakura said.

"And how did you know that?" Itachi asked.

"Lady Tsunade does trust me and since I'm very close to Naruto I needed to know about some of the other jinchuriki, especially after what happened to Gaara," Sakura explained. "I remembered that there was one girl jinchuriki-which is rare. Normally males are chosen to serve as hosts. I think the girl's name was Fuu, but I'm not certain."

"You certainly seem to remember a lot about it," Sasuke said. "You didn't think it was pertinent at the time?"

"I was too worried about you killing me in my sleep, Sasuke-kun," she answered with a saccharine smile.

"I wouldn't have let that happen, nor would the dog," Itachi said with a distracted wave of his hand as he began to pace.

"You were a ghost and I was afraid Bull might puff out of existence back to the astral plane," Sakura argued.

"Perhaps after the eye transplant we can try to protect her-the seven-tails and their host," Itachi suggested. "However, I need to stop Kabuto."

"I'm more interested in talking with Orochimaru and finding some answers," Sasuke argued. "I have no interest in another tailed-beast."

"You're going to be useless for a while after the surgery anyway," Sakura reminded him.

A deep furrow appeared between Sasuke's eyes. Apparently he didn't like being useless either.

**OoO**

One of Itachi's ravens succeeded in finding his body. The prodigy sent out twelve ravens in various directions and one of them found the hideout where his body was being kept. It was an underground cavern not far from the land of Sand. And she was grateful it wasn't found any later because Sasuke was heavy and he was leaning on her much more than she thought was necessary just for his loss of vision.

Itachi's body was perfectly preserved, sitting upon a large slab of rock like some ancient pharaoh waiting to be worshipped. Sakura walked toward the body and touched his cheek gently, he wasn't even cold. It was as if he was simply sleeping. She glanced over toward the door where Itachi in his reanimated form was guarding and he met her eyes before quickly averting his gaze. Seeing the Itachi she knew a few feet away reminded her that the body before her was an empty shell, but maybe, in the journal Kabuto left her there was an answer. Maybe she could reunite body and soul?

"Where do you want me?" Sasuke asked, standing behind her. She had almost forgotten he was there, forgotten the purpose of finding Itachi's body. She was supposed to harvest Itachi's eyes and place them into Sasuke. Was she just supposed to just leave Itachi's sockets hollow? No, she would do a mutual transplant. The hero of Konoha deserved that respect.

"Just have a seat against the wall for now. I need to explore Itachi's chakra line, vessels and nerves. I've seen yours enough now to know if there will be any real problems transplanting." Sasuke did as she asked and leaned against the wall and watched her quietly with his practically useless eyes.

She sent probing medical chakra throughout Itachi's system curious what actually led to his death. She could sense severe fatigue at the time of his death as well as hypoxia. He was very anemic-as if from a chronic disease by the ratio of his red blood cells and their sizes. Then she found the problem with his lungs-they were practically black. She drew her hands away sharply and glared at Itachi. "What sort of lung disease did you say you had?"

Itachi didn't look at her, his attention in the hallway outside the door. He had his ravens serving as sentinels throughout the place as well as Bull. He shrugged. "A deadly one, none of the healers were able to figure out what was wrong. They just gave me herbs to deal with the discomfort."

His longs were full of scar tissue and fibrosis, necrotic in several places. "You had pneumoconiosis. It's from long exposure to coal dust. Somehow you were inhaling it and every time you used one of your fire jutsus you fried more of your lungs."

Itachi finally looked over at her. "Are you telling me that I was poisoned?"

"Most likely. When did your symptoms start?"

"Shortly after joining Akatsuki when I moved into the compound," he said upon a brief reflection. "But wouldn't it have affected Kisame? We did spend most of our time together."

"Actually no, with his unique physiology he is more shark than man. His gills would have worked as a filter and then anytime he breathed via his gills under water it would have flushed out any coal that might have started to accumulate. And once again, your fire jutsus exacerbated the diseased state."

"Are you saying that Itachi was murdered?" Sasuke asked. "By the Akatsuki? By the same Akatsuki I'm now a member of?"

"I'm pretty sure they don't consider you a member since they sent Sasori and Deidara after us to finish us off," Sakura reasoned aloud. "Though that seems to be most logical."

Itachi nodded absently. "That makes sense. I have always been too dangerous to have around. Tobi was with me when I massacred the Uchiha clan. He knew exactly what I was capable of when push came to shove. He probably couldn't risk me turning against him and fighting on the side of Konoha."

Sakura agreed, but said nothing. She went back to focusing on Itachi's preserved eyes and the network of vessels around them. There wasn't a point in transplanting Sasuke's poor eyes into Itachi's old body, but she'd do it anyway. But, she now gave up hope of trying to reunite his body and soul. His lungs were too severely damaged even for her skills.

"Are you ready, Sasuke-kun?" she asked quietly as she crouched in front of her childhood friend.

"All I can see is shadows. I will be useless as I am now. I am most assuredly ready," he vowed. He allowed Sakura to lead him to lay on the ground where she had taken hers, Sasuke's, and Itachi's cloaks and formed a semi-comfortable palate on the stone floor.

"Normally, I'd do a sedative, but with your immunities to various poisons due to your apprenticeship with Orochimaru I'm going to use my chakra to send a message to your brain to put you to deep sleep." She bit her lip nervously. "Of course there is a chance you might wake up during the operation." Sasuke stiffened significantly. "Unless, maybe we could have Itachi put you into a deep genjustu, but I'm not sure what will happen when we remove your eyes and exchange them for his."

"It should work just fine. This will only be the second time the procedure was done by a medical ninja and not just a clan elder," Itachi said coming toward them. He crouched beside her and looked from her to the ground. "Are you going to be comfortable performing the procedure? We could move my body off the slab and put Sasuke up there."

"No, I'm used to performing difficult life threatening surgeries in the middle of the field of battle. I'll actually be more comfortable sitting on the ground than standing. And who was the other medical ninja?"

"It's obvious, Sakura. Kakashi and his teammate, how else would he have a Sharingan. You can bet the Uchiha clan didn't approve that donation. However, Danzo was full of Sharingan, who knows how many bodies he butchered to acquire them. That was probably the real reason he ordered the massacre. Now, can you just knock me out? I'd rather not know any more details," Sasuke said. Sakura felt her lip twitch slightly in amusement. So her stoic former teammate was nervous. It was nice that he still felt some emotions aside from rage, though given Danzo's atrocious actions against his clan she certainly understood that rage.

Itachi knelt beside her and performed a genjutsu on Sasuke to place him into a deep sleep. He reached over and squeezed Sakura's shoulder in re-assurance. "You'll do well," he said before standing and heading back to the entranceway to stand sentinel.

Sakura took a deep breath and then dived in on the complicated surgery. She didn't have the medical tools she'd have liked so she used chakra. She used chakra scalpels, chakra suction, chakra forceps, everything she needed she used her chakra. There was a reason Kabuto was a fierce ninja. Medical ninjitsu could be used to devastating results.

It helped that Itachi and Sasuke were brothers-it decreased rejection with the organ transplant. Part of her now suspected Kakashi might wear a mask as prophylaxis against airborne pathogens to decrease chances of rejection of his transplanted Sharingan eye. Perhaps she and Shizune could inspect his eye again when she returned home. It would be nice to have the poisons expert's opinion. Of course, she could probably just ask the Copy Ninja the next time she crossed paths with him.

After she finished the transplant surgery for Sasuke she then used his discarded eyes and began the process of inserting them into Itachi's corpse's empty sockets. It was so strange that the ebony eyes she'd spent so many days dreaming about as an adolescent were being rejected without a second thought and were currently in the palm of her gloved hand. Twelve-year old Sakura would have had a heart attack at the very idea.

"You realize the absurdity of doing this surgery. My body won't need those eyes. You're simply wasting chakra," Itachi said.

"She's a sentimental fool," Sasuke scoffed as he rested with his new eyes covered in bandages.

"If I wasn't a sentimental fool I'd have left you to rot," Sakura answered. "And this isn't foolish. It is a sign of respect for all the things Itachi has done. If I can grant him this one last dignity then I will."

"Really, I don't care," Itachi insisted. "I'm not inside that shell."

"You think I don't realize that?" Sakura snapped, not taking her eyes off her work. "Both of you shut up and let me concentrate or I will pummel you both to the ground."

Sakura collapsed with her chakra reserves depleted after the extensive surgeries. "Okay, maybe you were right," she said stealing a glance at Itachi. The stoic man rushed to her side and kneeled beside her on the ground with a supportive arm wrapped around her waist. Sakura leaned back against his solid frame. "But, you do look more peaceful this way," she said gesturing toward his body with eyelids closed over newly transplanted eyes.

"It was a fruitless effort, Sakura. I appreciate the sentiment, but I was never meant to be peaceful," Itachi said. He picked Sakura's limp form up and held her close to his chest. "You need to sleep. I"ll keep watch," he said depositing her next to Sasuke's sleeping form against the wall.

"We need to get out of here, you know it's a trap," she murmured drowsily. She could barely keep her eyes open and she knew she spent too much chakra. It would have been a death sentence if she hadn't been in the company of fellow ninjas that she trusted to protect her in her vulnerability.

"Not an option, I'm afraid. Sasuke's state is too fragile right now and you can barely stay awake long enough to hold a conversation," Itachi argued. Bull yipped excitedly and then rushed toward Sakura. The large dog buried his wet nose against her stomach and plopped his weight across her legs. "And if you had any ideas, Bull is apparently going to make sure you rest."

"Stubborn dog," Sakura said fighting a yawn as she rubbed Bull's furry head.

"Stubborn girl," Itachi corrected. He allowed himself a moment to linger at Sakura's side. He watched the rise and fall of her chest and the pulse throb at her throat. And not for the first time he lamented his fate-ever the sacrificial hero. Why couldn't he have been rewarded for his efforts and pain with the love of a woman like Sakura Haruno?

He stood and returned to his post. He would keep Sakura and Sasuke safe. He would do all in his power to protect his precious people.

Only a few hours had passed when Itachi's ravens began to swarm back to him. "We must leave now," he said shaking Sakura and Sasuke awake. "We are no longer alone."

Sasuke sat up slowly and started to rub his eyes when Sakura snatched his hand away. "Not yet, you need to rest your eyes for a little longer."

"How am I supposed to fight?" Sasuke hissed.

"You're not," Sakura said rising to her feet. Her legs wobbled in fatigue. Her chakra reserves were still running low. "Apparently I'm not either." She looked toward Itachi with a barely contained sense of panic in her eyes.

Itachi came back to her side and handed her a kunai that she tucked into the pouch strapped to her thigh. "They won't want to kill either of you. Kabuto wants you for an apprentice, Sakura. And Madaara and Tobi want Sasuke for their own. He is the last of the Uchihas and is valuable."

"What about you?" Sasuke asked quietly.

Sakura saw the muscle in Itachi's jaw clench ever so slightly. "I'm already dead."

"Ah, Sakura-chan!" Kabuto's voice rang out through the caverns. "Did you have a chance to review my journals?"

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_A/N: Hope y'all enjoyed another semi-prompt update. Thanks for your support and well-wishes for my wedding and hopefully there weren't too many grammatical errors in this chapter. BDN_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty:**

"Why so glum, Itachi-kun?" Kabuto asked, the lenses of his eyeglasses flashed ominously in the shadows caused by the recesses of his hooded cloak. "I'm not here to fight. I just want to talk to Sakura-chan. We have so much to discuss!" He tried to move past Itachi to have a clear view of Sakura, but the former Anbu shifted just enough to keep her blocked, Kabuto tried again, and Itachi shifted again.

"She doesn't have anything to say to you," Itachi deadpanned.

"Sure she does! I'm sure she wants to know about how to revive the dead." Kabuto angled himself to see past Itachi's frame once more, but failed. "Remember if anything happens to me the death revival jutsu will never end," he warned flicking his pointer finger back and forth near Itachi's nose before he pushed Itachi's shoulder whom allowed him that small liberty with the threat. Kabuto's eyes locked on Sakura's in the far corner of the room. "After all, we have a perfect test subject to practice on in this very room!"

Itachi's Sharingan flared to life. Kabuto tapped his glasses. "Your eye won't work on me, Itachi-kun. Being around Madaara and Tobi I've learned to protect myself."

"Roasted snake could still be on the menu," Itachi answered. He would have no qualms about using his fire jutsu to incinerate the psychotic medic if only they weren't in a cavern with limited oxygen flow. He worried that he might injure Sasuke and Sakura with smoke inhalation—unlike him they actually needed to breathe. And he knew in spite of Kabuto's threats that everyone had a weakness. He would find the snake's and destroy him. He just needed the right opportunity where he could utilize Susanoo's sword Totsuka and place Orochimaru's henchman into an eternal genjutsu, the "World of Drunken Dreams."

"You're so funny," Kabuto said with an amused expression. He saw Sasuke next to Sakura in the back corner and took note of the bandages around his eyes. "Oh! And Sasuke-kun was honored to have the Hokage's apprentice do his eye transplant! You must feel so privileged!"

"Mostly my eyes just itch," Sasuke muttered rubbing over the bandages at the arch of his cheekbones.

"Oh! Well, yes! That's to be expected, I'm sure! Sakura-chan what sort of sedative did you utilize? I know you trained under Shizune and her poisons expertise is only paralleled by my own. We really must compare notes," Kabuto said starting to close the distance between himself and the two teenaged ninjas. Itachi wouldn't allow that familiarity and took hold of Kabuto's shoulder in one hand and hooked him under the knee with a swift kick flipping the white-haired medic over and back toward the entrance where he landed sprawled flat on his back with a simple yet effective taijutsu move. "That wasn't very nice, Itachi-kun," Kabuto said sitting up and shaking his head causing his hood to fall back and reveal the scaly snake-like flesh that had become his face.

"I'm not nice," Itachi answered. His jaw muscle twitched as he ground his back molars. How dare Orochimaru's minion approach Sasuke or Sakura. He'd destroyed the snake's clutches on his little brother right before he died and yet here was his subordinate poisoned by the same essence that tried to take over his brother.

In the middle of the room a distortion began to appear and Madaara and Tobi-the masked man-materialized. "Oh look! The guests have arrived!" Tobi said clasping his hands together and bouncing from foot to foot. "Oh cheer up, Itachi-kun! We left your body safe and sound." He glanced at Kabuto. "Why are you on the floor? This is no time to lay about, you lazy bum!"

Madaara paced around the room and Itachi's hands formed fists at his side as he analyzed the situation. He could use his katana to dispatch the men around him, but that would hardly phase these aberrations that he could now include himself part. He had to find a way for Sakura and Sasuke to escape, but also to put Kabuto out of commission. It had been foolish to stay inside a confined space, but he didn't want to risk complications to the surgery.

"Why did you poison me? Sakura analyzed my lungs and saw the damage," Itachi demanded. "What was your purpose?"

"Obviously, I didn't want to kill you, Itachi," Tobi said. "We've had so many fun adventures together. Why slaying the entire Uchiha clan was top notch fun! Besides, unless I'm mistaken, we're all Akatsuki in here."

Sakura stood, blocking Sasuke from view. "I will never join Akatsuki," she vowed. Bull was at her feet, shackles raised and growling protectively. Itachi could see that her weapons' pouch was sitting on the floor-she'd taken it off during the surgery. The kunai he'd given her would hardly do any good at her feet and out of hand's reach.

"Funny, you did a mission for me. All for your beloved Sasuke!" Tobi said holding his hands together at his chest-if it wasn't for his orange mask no doubt he'd have been batting his eyelashes. "You even fixed his eyes. It must be love!" His hands fell to his side. "I don't think I like your dog," he said before he performed a jutsu with rapid hand signals and then Bull vanished into a dark whirlpool of distorted time and space.

Sakura stiffened and her eyes widened in fear at how easily Kakashi's ninja dog was dispatched. "Che," Sasuke said, straightening up and then standing with his back propped against the wall, he had reached inside Sakura's ninja pouch from where it lay on the ground. "She did declare her undying feelings for me at age twelve," he said taking hold of Sakura's hand in support and slipping a kunai into her grasp. "What do you want with us?"

"It seems we're running low on warm bodies in our Akatsuki. And now that you're about to have the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan thanks to your brother's organ donation you'll prove a valuable asset," Tobi said. "Don't you want to avenge your brother Itachi's death?"

"I'm standing right here. I hardly need to be avenged," Itachi countered. He silently willed Sasuke to be reasonable. Forget vengeance and protect Konoha. Unfortunately, for the past six months sans the few weeks he'd recruited Sakura to help Sasuke, he'd nurtured Sasuke's hate and need to be an avenger. It did make him strong at an accelerated speed, but it also mentally handicapped the teenager.

"And I suppose your subordinates Juugo and Suigetsu may also be admissible," Tobi continued ignoring Itachi. "Otherwise, if you're not interested I can just have them eliminated from the game."

"Life and death are not a game. You're forth coming with your plans," Itachi commented. Inside the folds of his cloak he began to make hand signals. He kept at least one of his hands hidden from view at all times so that he might perform jutsus without his enemies being aware. It was a trait that had saved his life many-a-times.

"It's not like you can go anywhere. Sasuke needs to stay immobile for at least three days with his eye transplant or else he runs the risk of rejection," Madaara said. "Though, having a medic perform the surgery might speed up the recovery. I hear that Hatake adapted to his transplant within hours. But I still think a couple of days due to the advanced state of Itachi's eyes will be required."

"So, Sakura-chan, did you get to the chapter about grafting?" Kabuto asked finally standing up from the ground and dusting the loose gravel from his cloak. He tried to walk past Itachi, but the elder Uchiha brother turned his body to block the crazed medic.

"Er, no, I didn't get to that chapter," Sakura answered letting go of Sasuke's hand. "Your section on cloning was very impressive though. It could vastly improve the realm of medicine in regard for people needing transplants in liver, heart, and kidneys."

"Exactly! And we could even clone bloodlines and graft them to patients. Why should the Hyugas be the only ones with the Byakugan?" Kabuto asked.

"Danzo had Sharingan eyes grafted to his body-most likely his true reason for ordering the annihilation of my clan. Were you responsible?" Sasuke asked.

Kabuto rubbed his forehead and frowned. "No, that was Master Orochimaru."

"That snake has betrayed everyone at one point or another," Madaara grumbled. "How are you in control exactly?" Madaara asked, moving to look directly at Itachi. The clan founder was a bit taller. Itachi narrowed his eyes as he looked up and down his ancestor. It was clear that the older man had also been part of Kabuto's Reanimation Jutsu-the masterpiece of the Second Hokage, Rikudo. Like Itachi, Madaara also had complete control of his mental and physical facilities.

"Protective jutsu," Itachi answered vaguely.

Madaara nodded. "Tobi told me about the slaying of your clan. It takes one of great will and skill to accomplish such a deed. It makes sense that you would have anticipated a resurrection technique. With the corruption of Konoha's council your worries would have been founded." He turned back toward Sakura and his Sharingan swirled.

Sakura averted her eyes away from Madaara's gaze only to be caught in the Sharingan of Tobi.

Itachi grit his teeth. He had faith that Sakura would use the skills he'd taught her to escape whatever genjutsu Tobi placed upon her because there was no reason for the masked man to kill the medically skilled kunoichi. It was unfortunate that her chakra was nearly depleted though because she wouldn't be able to use her trick of stimulating her pain receptors without actual damage.

Her hand slammed into her thigh, a welt of blood appeared from the tip of the kunai Sasuke had given her. She looked across the room and caught Itachi's eye. He used that moment to put her in an illusionary technique of his own, the Tsukuyomi. Their minds were transported to the creek outside of the Uchiha compound where he used to fish with his father when he was a child. He had used the same technique in battle against Kakashi Hatake, but the scenario he intended to play out with Sakura would be significantly nicer.

"Sakura, you have to get out of here now," Itachi said. He reached out and touched her shoulder. She was wearing a flowing white dress, pink hair cascading down her back, feet bare. He wore a long dark blue kimono with the Uchiha fan emblazoned across the back with his hair secured in a high pony tail like he wore in his Jounin elite days. His feet were also bare on the cool grass and the genjutsu was so powerful that he could feel each individual blade of grass.

"I cannot leave you! What will they do to you?" Sakura grasped him firmly on his biceps.

"I'm an Uchiha. They will want me on their side of the war. I must stay with Sasuke until he has recovered enough to leave. I will find a way to stop Kabuto. The resurrected ninjas are merely to buy time. I'm sure the true plan of Madaara and Tobi involve the tailed-beasts."

Sakura reached up one of her hands and held her palm gently against his chiseled cheekbone. He angled his face against her warmth and closed his eyes and relished in the sweet gesture. "I don't want to leave you," she confessed softly.

He opened his eyes. "You have done everything possible to help Sasuke. I cannot ask anything more of you. At this point your skills on the battle field are more valuable than staying with me."

Sakura took hold of Itachi's face and pulled him down toward her level and kissed him. At first her lips pressed hesitantly against his unyielding flesh. And then, against his better judgment, Itachi started to reciprocate. One of his hands cupped the back of her head gently with his fingers threading within the soft silk of her hair while the other lingered on the side of her abdomen with his fingers spread across her ribs and thumb brushing against the underside of her breast.

She hummed her approval as she slipped her tongue inside of the cavern of his mouth and he entwined his tongue with hers in a complicated, yet simple dance. Itachi's eyes closed of their own accord and he started to lose himself in the softness of her body and the scent of her hair and the pounding of her heart. The reminder of her heart pounding while his no longer existed was all he needed to break the spell of seduction and lust—for even in the fantasy world of his genjutsu his heart did not beat. He pulled away from her lips. "I will not endanger you any more than necessary. As soon as I release you from the jutsu I want you to pull out the tagged kunai Hatake gave you."

Sakura's hand left his cheek and a pair of fists slammed against his chest. Itachi went flying back and landed on his rear and skid across the grass to land in the shallow shore of the creek. The not-so-mild-mannered kunoichi stalked toward him and with her hands on her hips she glowered over him. "Why would I abandon you now when you are in the den of lions?"

"I cannot protect you, Sakura! Why can't you understand that?" Itachi rose to his feet, his anger was more astute than he could remember it ever being before. He prided himself on keeping his cool and having a calm temperament, but with Sakura he was frustrated and upset by her stubbornness. He grabbed her shoulders tightly. "I am dead. I am not coming back. I'll stop Kabuto. It will be up to you and your Konoha allies to stop Madaara and Tobi-they are the real threat."

Sakura closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms tight around his middle and pressed her face against his shoulder. "I won't give up on you."

Itachi could feel her warm tears soaking into the front of his robe. He rested his jaw on top of her head and closed his eyes finding comfort in holding her. "I love you," Sakura said.

He pushed her away, but kept his hands on her upper arms and forced her to look up at him. "You cannot love a dead man. You must let go of your false hopes," he said before he ended the genjutsu and forced them back into reality. He could see the sharp intelligence in her bright green eyes across the distance of the cavern. Her gaze flickered toward where his body lay on the slab in the middle of the room and he took action. His reanimated left eye performed the Amaterasu on his corpse.

"No!" Sakura shouted trying to rush toward the black fire enshrouded body. Sasuke reached out and took a firm hold of her arm keeping her from running toward the flames.

"That's wasteful," Tobi observed in a slightly disinterested voice.

Itachi felt the black burning tears dripping from his eye as he performed the black fire jutsu. He wasn't done, and he needed to protect his precious people. He focused on his desire to protect and produced a portion of his Susanoo. He finished the signals of his hands to produce a clone and to almost simultaneously complete a substitution. He appeared to burst into an explosion of crows and reformed in front of Sakura and Sasuke as he traded places with the crow clone. His red Susanoo formed in that moment into one of its' smaller forms given the constricting space of the cavern, an impenetrable rib case formed around them. In the partial construct of Susanoo's left hand the Yata Mirror Shield served as another barrier.

Sakura with Sasuke's hand still locked onto her arm, picked up her pouch from the floor and withdrew the marked kunai Kakashi had given her.

Within moments, Kakashi Hatake the Great Copy Ninja appeared on the scene inside of the Susanoo. He took a quick survey and whistled appreciatively. "I figured I'd hear from you when Bull showed up," he said. "I think it's time we make our grand exit," he said grabbing hold of Sakura's free arm.

"Kakashi Hatake, what a pleasant surprise," Tobi said. The masked man surveyed the small cavern from Itachi's burning corpse to the protective Susanoo cocooning the Leaf ninja.

"No! Sakura-chan! Don't go! We have so much to talk about!" Kabuto wailed. He threw his cloak on top of Itachi's burning body. "Somebody put out this fire? I need this body for research!"

"Go," Sasuke said quietly, where only Sakura could hear his barely audible voice. He released the iron-like band of his hand around her forearm.

"It seems you've made use of the present I gave you for becoming Jounin all those years ago," Tobi said in a deep serious voice, no longer sing-song silly and high pitched.

The air became thick with anticipation. "That's impossible," Kakashi whispered his hand upon Sakura's arm became tighter. "He died protecting his team."

"Smashed beyond recognition-true. Thankfully, my great uncle Madaara Uchiha happened upon my dying body. Don't worry, you can keep my Sharingan-it was a gift after all." Tobi then removed his one-eyed mask. The face within was completely smooth on one side and wrinkled like a century-old man on the other. His left eye, where Kakashi assumedly received his Sharingan, was not an empty socket, but held the same spiral patterned eye as Nagata—the Rinnegan.

Itachi's lips thinned as he realized that man who helped him slay his clan was not Madaara, but another Uchiha who had been shunned by his family. Obito Uchiha-one of the heroic names engraved in the memorial stone- had not perished in the Third Ninja War that had claimed so many lives.

"As touching as this reunion is," Madaara interrupted, "I'd like to wrap this up. We still have some pressing issues. And I don't know why you're wasting your chakra on a Susanoo—you're hardly in any danger from us. Because there's nothing you can do to stop us at this point. And those other two, well, it hardly matters if they die."

"Why are you helping him, Obito?" Kakashi asked. "You're a hero! Why would you work with this anarchist?"

"You have it wrong, Kakashi. He's working for me. You'll see. The world will be better when I'm done. There will be no more pain and suffering. Wouldn't it be nice to have Rin back?" Obito asked.

Itachi's fingers itched in anticipation. Tobi/Obito was obviously deranged. He needed to get Sakura and Kakashi out of there. There wasn't enough room for him to dispatch Susanoo in his entirety-which would be his first choice in defense. Perhaps he could reason with his elders-they seemed in a talking mood. "Perhaps we can have this conversation another time," Itachi suggested. He could feel his chakra wavering at trying to sustain Susanoo in its partial form.

"Itachi is right. Just release your Susanoo so I can kill them and be done with it. They're too annoying especially with their loud-mouthed nine-tails host teammate," Madaara said with a bored tone. "There's not room for us to have a stalemate between our versions of Susanoo. We'd destroy the cavern and well, Obito doesn't have found memories of being crushed under tons of rock. We should be sensitive to that."

"No!" Kabuto shouted. "I want her. You owe me for what I've done."

Itachi prepared to release the partial Susanoo and utilize a series of clones and have an all out battle to protect the loyal Leaf ninja, but it was unnecessary. Kakashi had pulled out a tagged kunai and ran a bloodied finger over it and he and Sakura vanished. Perhaps it was the Yellow Flash's technique? Itachi wasn't entirely sure. What he did know was that Sakura was no longer in immediate danger, Sasuke wasn't able to fight in his post surgical recovering state, and the black flames of the Ameratsu had not yet succeeded in destroying his body. He allowed the Susanoo's form to dissolve knowing that Sasuke wasn't in danger—not when Madaara wanted him alive.

"Hm, maybe you can have your reunion later after all," Madaara said with a glance towards Obito. He moved toward Sasuke and placed a hand upon the younger Uchiha's shoulder in a paternal gesture. "You, Sasuke Uchiha, will be part of history. Bless your bloodline."

Obito replaced his mask and closed the distance between himself and Itachi's burning corpse. "I'm the one that preserved your body, Itachi. You didn't think I'd be so careless as to not anticipate fire." He waved his hand absently over the body and the flames were not extinguished. He glared down at the burning body and tried again before sighing. "I suppose it doesn't matter now."

Madaara kept his hand possessively upon Sasuke, but focused his attention on Itachi. "You are peculiar. Why would you show the Leaf any loyalty after what they did to you?"

"Because I am an honorable ninja," Itachi answered.

"I have things to do and I can't have you getting in the way, Itachi," Madaara warned. "According to Obito, you were a valuable member of Akatsuki. If it weren't for you we'd not have achieved so many tailed-beasts. Your only fault was when you faced the Leaf. Somehow you always failed to achieve the missions laid before you."

"I think you're too great of a liability, Itachi Uchiha," Obito said as he started to circle in front of Itachi. The older Uchiha brother stepped away from Sasuke knowing that his presence was now endangering the younger man. The masked man was obviously upset about not being able to extinguish the black fire of Itachi's Amaterasu. "I know your capabilities. I was with you when you slaughtered your clan. I was at your side."

"There is a marked difference between the skills of a thirteen year old ordered to murder his entire family and a twenty-two year old confident in his actions," Itachi retorted.

"How about we step out, Sasuke?" Madaara asked. "We've much to discuss."

Sasuke didn't move. Even though his eyes were bound he turned his head in Itachi's direction. "Brother?" There were so many questions tied in with that one inquiring word.

"It's fine. Go with him, Sasuke." Itachi answered. The underlying message was its fine-for now. "You must make a prerogative to heal so you can fight later."

"Actually, I should accompany Sasuke-kun. I am the medically trained ninja amongst us," Kabuto reasoned turning his back on Itachi's flamed-engulfed corpse deeming it beyond salvageable.

"You have other duties, snake" Madaara said. "Your master betrayed Akatsuki too often. You're still proving your worth."

"It's time you resign from the Akatsuki, Itachi," Obito said.

Itachi smirked. "Not just yet," he said moving his hidden hands rapidly. He vanished in an explosion of crows. He took several deep breaths to calm his nerves in the upper boughs of a tree outside of the cavern then he set out to wait while masking his chakra.

He'd wait for Obito and Madaara to leave. Perhaps they would leave Sasuke behind with Kabuto? He'd take advantage of that future opportunity to end the Resurrection Jutsu by trapping Kabuto in his "World of Drunken Dreams" genjutsu for all eternity. And there was no need to stay by Sasuke's side. He didn't mention this to either his brother or to Sakura, but from the moment she attached the vessels of his eyes into Sasuke he could feel a connection with his brother. No matter where the young Uchiha went Itachi would be able to find him. He'd give him time to heal, but it wouldn't be three days. He had too much faith in Sakura's medical skills to need to wait that long.

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_A/N: I hope y'all enjoyed this last chapter! My fight scenes can never compare to the amazing work of Masashi Kishimoto. I'm taking some elements of the cannon series and adapting to what works with the story I have envisioned. We are now officially 2/3 through with the story! What's going to happen next? BDN_


	21. Chapter 21

_A/N: I really appreciated the feedback from you lovely reviewers! So, the next few chapters will be a bit angsty with Sakura and Itachi being separated. Our favorite Uchiha brothers will be in the next chapter! This chapter has quite a bit of Kakashi because let's face it...he's amazing! BDN_

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**Chapter Twenty-One:**

Kakashi held the barely conscious Sakura close to his chest as he navigated his way far away from the battle. A wise ninja knew when to fight and when to run and regroup. He wasn't about to risk the life of his teammate just so he could battle- he'd lost too many loved ones and he wouldn't risk another. And it had to have been an elaborate genjutsu-there was no way Tobi was Obito. It was impossible.

"You've been working out, sensei," Sakura murmured against his throat. Kakashi didn't bother to look at her and kept his eye in front of him, but his lip did twitch into a smile under his mask. "You know you're breaking the hearts of all the single ladies in Konoha, and probably some of the married ones too."

"Being the interim Hokage takes up all my free time. And you're enough woman in my life. You're always so much trouble and now you're hallucinating." Life would be so much easier if he could imitate the Yellow Flash. Instead he had to wait for Naruto to activate the tagged transportation kunai. Hopefully, Pakkun would alert the loud-mouthed ninja soon. He had only been able to transport a short distance from the cavern where Sakura had activated her tagged kunai.

"You read all those Icha Icha books, I bet you'd be very romantic and smooth. When the war is over you have to start dating," Sakura declared. Her eyes were suspiciously bright. Was she crying? Please Kami, don't let her be crying. Kakashi couldn't handle both the evil resurrection of his childhood best friend and a crying teenaged girl!

"Who says I don't date?"

"You graduated the academy when you were five years old, lost your parents, teammates, and your teacher all before the age of thirteen. The only person more socially inept than you would be-" her voice caught in her throat-"Itachi Uchiha." She clutched at the charm at her neck like a lifeline.

Did she memorize his Bingo book bio or something? "You grew to know Itachi pretty well on your last mission?" he asked, trying to deflect the conversation back to her. He didn't want to dig too deep into his own psychology. It was best to ignore uncomfortable feelings. Use the frustration to kill bad men. "So how many times did Sasuke try to kill you?"

"Two or three times," Sakura confirmed, her voice sounded tired.

"And you still helped him."

"My teacher told me not to leave a teammate behind."

"I was a terrible teacher."

"I'm not disagreeing. You ignored Naruto and myself and focused on the golden boy. I can't really blame you though; you thought you could relate to Sasuke. You had no idea what to do with Naruto and myself. You never needed a teacher; you just naturally knew how to do things. That must be part of the prodigy thing." She was silent for a few moments and he thought she might have fallen asleep. "Naruto and I made do and found more appropriate mentors for our particular strengths. You may be a terrible teacher, but I don't regret you being our sensei. You're the best team leader I could have asked for, you big pervert."

Why was she making so many confessions? He didn't think she was dying, just weak from chakra depletion. "You just said I should date more. How can I be a pervert? And exactly who would you suggest I date?"

"You should ask Shizune out," Sakura suggested.

Kakashi frowned slightly. The Hokage's senior apprentice was attractive and she'd seen him down to his boxers more than anyone due to medical treatment. And they were about the same age-which was impressive for shinobi to reach thirty years. "Maybe."

"I want your promise of a lifetime," Sakura said mimicking Naruto with a slight giggle. Maybe she was edging towards the side of delirious at this point. Stress and chakra depletion? Broken heart? She was a teenaged girl after all.

"My promise is to keep you and Naruto safe."

"You can't promise that. We're shinobi. We're responsible for our own actions, Hokage-sama."

He cringed. "Don't call me that. I don't want to be Hokage."

"Lady Tsunade will wake up soon and you won't have to keep the title, but it should be yours next. I can picture your image engraved into the cliff above our village. Though I wonder if it will be you in your mask or your actual face-fish lips and all," Sakura said reaching up and brushing her fingers along his cloth-covered cheek.

Why did they all seem to think he hid his face because of a flaw?

"There's another tailed-beast. We have to try and save her. Can't let them have her too," her voice trailed off. Kakashi thought she'd fallen asleep, but he was wrong. "It's lost to the black flames. No more hope," Sakura murmured before she finally dropped off into the realm of unconsciousness.

As usual, Kakashi had no idea what she was talking about, aside from there being another tailed-beast aside from Naruto and Bee. Women could be too complicated sometimes. And the idea of his childhood best friend and rival being the arch villain leading the Akatsuki and the mastermind behind the attacks on the tailed-beasts and their jinchuriki hosts was beyond complicated.

A seemingly long time, though in reality perhaps a half hour, passed before Kakashi felt the tingling sensation of the teleportation jutsu.

**OoO**

"What took you so long?" Sakura asked when Kakashi sat her down. Naruto stood in front of her and while he was covered in burn-marks, dirt, and blood he looked positively radiant and energetic. He scooped her into his arms and spun her around in a hug.

"Sakura-chan! I hurried and activated the kunai as soon as Pakkun contacted me! I'm so glad to see you! I was worried, but I knew you'd be fine, because you're my super-strong best friend!" Naruto collapsed onto the ground on his back bringing Sakura down with him. "And Octo-pops and I got a little carried away sparring and I could really use some of your healing. My fox is refusing to help because he says it's tough love."

"Healing you is the least I can do," Sakura agreed with a soft smile. She sat up and then using her mystical palm healing technique went to work repairing Naruto's injuries with soothing green energy.

"Nice," Bee said standing over them. "I was worried when the fox wouldn't heal- you'd have a rough deal. But seeing your best pal is a gal with some serious skills you don't got to be worried on getting killed!"

"Sakura-chan, what happened with Sasuke?" Naruto asked quietly. "I was worried about you, but Kakashi-sensei said you had a mission to carry out with him. Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Naruto. It was a bit complicated, but I worked alongside Sasuke and then Itachi after all those resurrections happened. It was better when Itachi was there—he kept me safe—he was able to beat Kabuto's control over him. He's working to stop the reanimation jutsu. Sasuke was almost blind by the time I found him so he wasn't able to hurt me even though he tried at first," Sakura explained. She finished healing Naruto's injuries for the most part—leaving a few superficial abrasions, but nothing major. "I transplanted Itachi's eyes into Sasuke yesterday—like Kakashi-sensei and his transplanted Sharingan."

"I had always wondered about Itachi. He had so many opportunities to defeat us and take me hostage for the Akatsuki. He approached me a handful of times to ask that I take care of Sasuke—lead him back to the Leaf or kill him if I had to. That didn't sound like the words of a murderous traitor," Naruto said sitting up and rolling his shoulders experimentally. "Great job, Sakura-chan! I don't feel stiff at all." He took hold of her shoulders and brought her forehead against his. "Are you really fine? He didn't break your heart again did he?"

"I'm not sure if I made a difference, but I did the best I could do. In the end, he helped me escape so there is still some of the old Sasuke-kun inside of him." Sakura smiled at her friend. "He was darker and more twisted with hate when I first joined up with him."

"Okay," Naruto said releasing his hold on her face and standing up. He offered his hand and she accepted it rising to her feet as well.

"Touching reunion, let's move on to some bullion," Bee said.

Sakura glanced over at Bee and then to Kakashi. The white-haired shinobi shrugged. Apparently he was used to the Lightning ninja's rhymes. She threw her arms around Naruto again and hugged him close, bruising a few of his ribs in the process.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto gasped painfully.

She released him. "Sorry. I just missed you," she admitted as she stepped back. "I'm glad you're all here. There's another jinchuriki-the Seven-Tails. Madaara and Tobi are after her. If we can save her and recruit her to the cause we'll have enough tailed-beasts to counter Madaara-maybe."

"Do you think she's in tune with her tailed-beast?" Naruto asked rubbing his ribs tenderly.

"I doubt that will be the case, things are never that easy in our race, yeah," Bee said.

"I want to try something first," Sakura said clutching at the necklace at her throat anxiously. "I will summon Katsuyu and try and check on Lady Tsunade." She sat on the earth lotus style and used the sharp edge of a kunai to cut a small wound on her arm and summoned one of the smaller versions of the slug. "Katsuyu, how is Lady Tsunade?"

Katsuyu materialized in an alert state. "Sakura! Where have you been? Lady Tsunade is still in a coma, but she is very near to waking up. You should return to the village. I'm sure with your presence she'd awaken."

"I cannot return just yet, Katsuyu. There is one more thing I must do then I will return to Konohagakure," Sakura promised.

"Lady Tsunade would not want her apprentice to risk her life needlessly," the slug warned.

"Master Tsunade taught me how to carry my weight in a fight and prove a necessary member of a powerful team," Sakura argued. "And I'm under orders by the Interim Hokage. You're dismissed."

"You're going to get me into trouble," Kakashi complained scratching the top of his head and ruffling his already messy hair.

"So where are we headed, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked stretching his arms and cracking his neck from side to side eagerly.

"From Sakura's evidence and Nara's reports the seven-tails is from Takigakure-the Village Hidden by a Waterfall. It's a small village that is very difficult to penetrate. The only way to access it is by utilizing the underground cave system that exits into the middle of the big lake," Kakashi said. He raised the cover over his Sharingan eye, kept his eyelid closed tight and rubbed his brow before covering it up again.

"Kakashi-sensei, I have learned quite a bit about the Sharingan on my last mission. I might be able to ease your headache," Sakura offered.

"Another time, Sakura. You need to rest and restore your energy. You should have waited to heal Naruto too," the copy ninja admonished. "You had just regained consciousness yourself."

"And maybe you shouldn't have re-injured my ribs. You know you're going to have to fix them later," Naruto said slinging his arm around her shoulders and then cringing. "Or maybe Kurama will have pity on me."

"Where are the others? Aoba, Yamato, Motoi?" Kakashi asked.

Killer Bee focused his attention on his feet. "Fukai, the former jinchuriki for Gyuki—my tailed-beast, attacked us. Motoi sacrificed himself—or would have.."he trailed off.

"Octopops went back into the fray and saved Motoi and somehow reasoned with Fukai and he was able to break his zombie jutsu," Naruto explained. "Motoi and Aoba were both hurt pretty bad and are recovering in a nearby village. And, Yamato was captured while Bee was fighting and I was unconscious from a run in with that Black Zetsu. We need to find him."

"Yamato was experimented on by Orochimaru," Kakashi reasoned. "He was infused with the DNA of the First Hokage, Hashirama. Madaara most likely intends to use him to strength his army of those clones."

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Sakura asked worriedly chewing her bottom lip.

"Any clue as to where they took him?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto shook his head. "Kurama couldn't smell any sign of him and when I came to they were gone. And Bee was busy fighting for his life."

"It can't be helped for now. We need to find the Seven-Tails. That's our priority, but if we find any clue about Yamato we will be side tracking," Kakashi decided. He called forth his ninja dogs and Bull, Pakkun, and a all the others materialized. "All right boys, you remember Tenzo, he goes by Yamato now. I need you to track him down for me."

Bull ran past Kakashi and jumped on Sakura, his paws on her shoulder and knocking her to the ground and away from Naruto's lazy embrace. The large ninja dog licked her face fervently. "I suppose you two became good friends," Kakashi remarked with raised eyebrows.

"We'll find him for you, Kakashi," Pakkun promised. The pug looked over toward Sakura and Bull. "And he was worried about her when he was attacked and couldn't protect her."

"Don't worry about me, Bull. Go find Captain Yamato, please," Sakura requested. She gave the big dog an affection tousle of his fur. "So, our destination is Takigakure?"

"All right! It's been ages since our last mission together, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed with an excited fist pump into the air.

"It will be the first of many more missions I hope," Sakura said with a smile.

"We need to head out, but Sakura really needs to rest after her chakra exertion," Kakashi reasoned.

"I'll carry you, Sakura-chan! You hardly weigh anything so just get on my back," Naruto suggested crouching in front of her.

Sakura hesitated, wanting to pull her own weight. Of her options Naruto was the best. Killer Bee had a huge sword strapped across his back and Kakashi had already carried her for a pretty long distance. After a brief mental moment to run through her options Sakura climbed onto Naruto's back and wrapped her arms around his neck, the slid one hand down to heal his bruised ribs completely. She felt him give a relieved sigh.

"Which way?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi glanced around the forested area. "That way is north," he said gesturing toward their right. "And we need to head east. So we need to go that direction." He started to take off in the required direction and Naruto, Sakura, and Bee followed after him. "Keep sharp," Kakashi ordered.

**OoO**

"What I wouldn't give for some ramen," Naruto moaned when Sakura handed him his dinner rations. "First thing when we get back to Konoha—we go to Ichiraku Ramen—assuming it's been rebuilt after the whole Pain destruction episode."

"It was one of the first shops to open back up," Sakura assured him.

Bee was on guard duty while Kakashi slept and Sakura and Naruto ate. It had been a relatively quiet journey that day once they started toward Takigakure. At least, it had been an uneventful journey until Bee rushed back into camp and gestured wildly with his hands.

"News of the bad kind, don't wanna be behind. Some black and red clouds on the prowl," Bee explained.

"Huh?" Naruto ask with his mouth full of protein bar. "Black and red clouds does that mean the Akatsuki?"

"We must be on the right trail then if they are in the area. They are probably on their way to capture Fuu," Sakura reasoned.

"Did you recognize which Akatsuki members they were?" Kakashi asked-who was not quite so asleep.

"The Six-Path of Pain and the lady with paper wings, the two that share pain no one wants to gain," Bee answered.

"Nagato and Konan," Naruto clarified his hands forming tight fists. "I hate this cheap jutsu of bringing back the dead. We have to fight former enemies and friends alike. In the end, Nagato and Konan were students of Jiraiya and redeemed themselves by listening to reason. If Nagato hadn't believed in me most of Konoha would have stayed destroyed and so many would be dead-including you Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura placed her hand reassuringly on Naruto's shoulder. "Nagato's faith that you would find the answer remains. We have to do our best to help him return to the peace of the afterlife."

"While I agree we will have to face them, now is not the time. We must continue to find and liberate the last tailed-beast," Kakashi ordered.

"Yes sir," Naruto and Sakura chimed together. Bee nodded his acceptance of the order and the four of them set off to complete their mission.

* * *

_A/N: I struggled to write Bee rhyming/rapping...yesh...what a stressor! But he's too awesome a character!_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-two:**

Madaara's Akatsuki transferred their activities to one of the bases near the cavern systems near the outskirts of Rain—it was a former residence to a fallen Damiyo a century ago. The forest had grown wild and hid the ruins and it lay mostly forgotten for the last several decades as the wet, humid environment made the land green and lush.

Idly, Itachi noted the tiger-striped mosquitos buzzing around him, however, since he didn't have blood pumping through his veins they left him unbothered. Though, they hardly bothered him during life. Perhaps he'd ask Sakura about that next time he saw her. Maybe they had a preferred blood type?

"Stop right there," he muttered to himself. He couldn't allow himself to think about Sakura anymore. He had a duty and he accomplished what he set out to do with Sakura's aid in regard to Sasuke. There was no need to distract himself with questions he'd never be able to ask.

It was easy for Itachi to track down the Akatsuki's new location especially with his current connection to Sasuke via the transplant. There had been no sign of Obito or Madaara since that morning. If Nagato or Kisame were to turn up they would present very serious obstacles. Those two had been the only members of Akatsuki to truly appreciate the extent of Itachi's talents and knew them well. So far, he'd not seen either Nagato or Kisame resurrected.

Itachi bid his time utilizing the secret techniques that had aided him in his years of spying - he used one of his crows to remain inside the rafters of the basement of the hideout while he was about three kilometers away—too far to be easily discovered, but close enough to perform a long range substitution jutsu quickly if necessary. A re-animated Deidara-almost identical to his former incarnation aside from the red on black eyes- entered his peripheral, carrying an unconscious person across his shoulders and alongside him was the black Zetsu. The black half of Zetsu had always rankled his nerves because while the white Zetsu was based off the first Hokage's DNA the black Zetsu was cloned from Madaara's DNA and also seemed to share in his ancestor's predisposition for violence.

Itachi narrowed his eyes as he scanned the Akatsuki members more closely. It seemed that the unconscious person was the same female Orochimaru subject that Sasuke's teammates had in their possession last he saw them. He began to follow them, careful to keep his chakra masked, while at the same time keeping an eye on Kabuto via his spying crow.

Through the eyes of his crow he could see Kabuto reading over several scrolls and scribbling obsessively into a journal. The white-haired medic sighed and leaned against the wall of the cave. "They're always doing that. Surely, by now they realize the sealing is a useless waste of resources. Deidara best hurry," he murmured rubbing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index fingers. "What is taking that bomb-making fool so long?"

"It takes a while to travel in style, hm?" Deidara said entering the room shifting the woman's body across his shoulders. "She wasn't too hard to recapture but it still took some time, hm? And I'm hardly a fool. I do believe I was the one to capture the majority of the bijuus."

"What about the men with her? Tobi sounded interested in them," Kabuto inquired.

"Doesn't matter. They won't be bothering us in the foreseeable future, now will they?" Deidara said with a smile. Luckily, Deidara was the Akatsuki member who feared Itachi the most. It would make it easier to deal with him. The blonde's gaze shifted to Sasuke in his defenseless state and his eyes narrowed in distaste. "That's the one that stopped my art."

"Do I need to kill you again?" Sasuke asked in a bored tone recognizing the voice in spite of having his eyes blindfolded.

"Why don't you just try it? You're not so tough all by yourself, hm? Poor lost little Uchiha orphan," Deidara cooed. "Killed your big brother when all he ever did was take care of you. Ungrateful whelp."

"Set her on the ground and stop bickering—we're all Akatsuki here. I need to concentrate," Kabuto ordered. Deidara set Anko on the stone ground and Kabuto pulled out a scroll and began to set up an elaborate ceremonial ring. Itachi observed and waited for his chance. The cursed mark on Anko began to dance across her flesh and a large snake began to pour out of her mouth and raced along Kabuto's hand, up his arm, and disappeared inside the inner lining of his shirt.

"What's going on?" Deidara asked cringing at the sight of Kabuto merging with the large serpent. He clasped his hands together in discomfort, even his hungry extra palm mouths seemed disturbed by the sight.

It still disgusted Itachi that his brother sought the anemic snake Sannin for power, but he couldn't deny Orochimaru's power. He wasn't sure exactly what Kabuto was attempting but he knew that he couldn't allow it to succeed. The rogue medical ninja might have been a genius, but like Orochimaru he'd moved into the realm of madness. The abandoned castle wasn't the ideal location for an epic battle, but he would adapt and it was better than the caverns had been.

Itachi made his way into the Akatsuki lair using the aid of his crow spies to bypass traps set up throughout the forest—both new ones and the old ones that had rusted into disrepair, but would prove loud and noticeable. If he could get within one kilometer he could do his substitution. He felt a chill gather up his spine as black Zetsu locked eyes with Itachi's spying crow. "Itachi Uchiha," the plant-like creature growled.

He was close enough to the one kilometer distance so Itachi gathered his chakra and substituted his position with the crow. As soon as he materialized he sent a murder of crows toward the bomb-master distracting both him and Zetsu. The big plant creature ducked into the earth under their feet and vanished from sight.

Itachi rushed passed the preoccupied Deidara and sent an extra clone to deal with him as back up to the crows. He wasted no time in violently engaging Kabuto. He knocked away the latter's glasses while the element of surprise was still in his favor. The medical ninja threw a flurry of painful chakra scalpels at Itachi—he felt the pain, but his shell of a body quickly reformed negating any damage.

He locked the white-haired ninja into a strong genjutsu—the tsukuyomi. The illusion wasn't permanent, but it would feel like thirty years had passed for Kabuto in which he would see Orochimaru scolding him, downgrading him, insulting him, and physically beating him with a belt. It would be interesting to see how the idol worship would continue once he was released from the mental hell. "Sasuke!" Itachi called. "Now is the time."

Sasuke ripped off the bandages over his eyes and settled into a fighting stance with Deidara, the latter of whom was blowing up Itachi's crows with miniature bombs and laughing in amusement. "I killed you once, stay dead this time," Sasuke growled unsheathing his sword Kusanagi.

"You always knew an Uchiha would be the death of you," Itachi said to Deidara.

"I'd rather not deal with any of you, hm?" The blonde answered no longer laughing. He moved to dodge Sasuke's sword attacks with simple taijutsu. He wasn't fast enough to avoid both Itachi's crows and the chidori crackling in Sasuke's free hand and a large hole was blown into his abdomen.

As Deidara looked down at the mess that was his abdomen, the younger Uchiha took advantage of the situation and using Kusanagi separated torso from waist. Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of Deidara. The blonde crawled using his arms to meet his torso with his legs. "This is very inconvenient, hm?"

"Where's the other one?" Sasuke asked looking around. "I heard him go into the ground, but I can't sense him." He stalked toward Deidara and separated his re-animated body again as it began to reform.

"I think I felt better when I was dead, hm?" Deidera complained as his body began to knit itself back together again. "Normally I'd high-tail it out of here to fight another day, but I don't think that's an option given what you're doing to Kabuto." He sent a flurry of bombs at Itachi and Sasuke. They hit Itachi with a vengeance, but he accepted the damage and instead focused on creating a defensive portion of his Susanoo to shield Sasuke.

"Zetsu has gone back to his master no doubt," Itachi said answering Sasuke's question while his left arm reformed after the bombs disintegrated it. He grabbed hold of Kabuto with his working arm before he could snap out of the illusion. "I think we should take this outside." With the medic tossed over his shoulder he hurried into the wide open space of the central courtyard of the old castle. It was none too soon, because Kabuto broke the genjutsu with a vengeance. The chakra scalpels flew and if he had tendons he'd have been mostly immobile under Kabuto's assault.

Lucky for him, he wasn't alive anymore and his arm had finished reconstructing.

"There really is no need for us to fight," Kabuto said pushing his hair out of his eyes. "We were both used by Konoha to serve as spies. The Root betrayed me under Danzo's leadership just as he manipulated the destruction of the Uchiha clan. We could work together. However, I cannot forgive you forcing me to see Lord Orochimaru in such a horrible fashion."

"I only showed you the truth of your master. And we are nothing alike," Itachi answered. He drew out his own katana, which he hardly ever used and channeled as much chakra as he could into his next attack. It was time to create Susanoo in his ultimate form and use the "World of Drunken Dreams" Eternal Genjutsu. His red Susanoo in its complete samurai form with sword and shield materialized mirroring Itachi's stance with his sword. "Unlike you, I'm not crazy," he said before launching himself toward the snake-medic.

As Itachi came arching back toward the earth from his aerial attack his Susanoo manifested and while Kabuto managed to evade the ground shattering sword (an attack that Sakura and her fists would be proud of) his line of sight came into direct contact with Susanoo's shield and Itachi was able to unleash his most powerful Genjutsu.

He spent a good portion of his chakra in defeating Kabuto even though it only took half a minute. The medic would be stuck in a never-ending loop where he was constantly evading Itachi's sword. He stepped back to admire his work briefly before he completed the technique by entering Kabuto's subconscious mind where he would force him to show how to dispel the revival jutsu. If seeing the proper hand signals wasn't enough he might have to force a genjutsu-drunken Kabuto to perform the cessation of the jutsu.

Itachi kept Kabuto trapped in a mental loop while he tried the dispelling hand signals for the jutsu. Only one way to know if it worked or not. He used a kunai and stabbed himself in the thigh-it didn't reknit nor did it bleed.

"You've done it? It's finished? No more corpses?" Sasuke asked using his sword to keep his balance. "What do we do now? That woman, Anko, did they kill my teammates to retrieve her?"

"Did you bother to check if she was alive or not?"

"Uh, no," Sasuke admitted.

Itachi rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Am I finished? Hardly. But I am a reanimated corpse without healing abilities now. Normally we would need some ninja from Sand to seal away the corpses so that their spirits can be put back to rest," Itachi answered. He tapped his eye. "Lucky for you I memorized their technique with my Sharingan so you should be able to do it."

He looked his brother over critically. "You can question Deirdara before you seal him. Offer to end his un-life if he'll tell you what happened to your friends. And check to see if Anko is still alive. She's a fellow Leaf ninja-try to give a damn about what happens to her. How do you feel?"

"They are not my friends. They are merely pawns, or teammates if I must label them. My vision is clearer than it has been in years," Sasuke answered. "However, I am fatigued and stiff from my inactivity."

Was his brother really that emotionally stunted? "That's to be expected," Itachi said. He retained his Susanoo's form in a more diminished size and picked up Kabuto's immobile body.

"I believe I'll enjoy making blondie talk," Sasuke said with a ghost of a smile. As he started to walk back toward the castle ruins the white Zetsu popped out of the earth. "Perfect timing," Sasuke said before he took a deep breath and transformed into his Susanoo. His demon-like Susanoo wielded a black blade from the flames of Amaterasu. "Time for you to disappear," he said before swiping the blade through the plant-like creature.

Itachi watched as Zetsu was incinerated by his brother's attack. It was frightening to see the form of Sasuke's Susanoo as it mirrored the user's heart. While Itachi's Susanoo resembled a human-like samurai warrior, Sasuke's was that of a demonic samurai. How much did the path of hatred he set his brother upon corrupt him? He wasn't surprised to see Sasuke's Susanoo dissolve and find the young man crouched on the ground gasping for his breath.

"Creating a Susanoo takes a great deal of concentration and chakra. If you sustain it for too long or try too great an attack it will result in the death of the Uchiha master," Itachi explained. He set down Kabuto's body to offer Sasuke assistance.

Sasuke slapped away Itachi's offered hand. "I don't need your help," he said rising to his feet. "I'm going to take care of Deidara."

Neither of them noticed the white snake slithering away from Kabuto's prone figure toward Sasuke.

**OoO**

Traveling through the unfriendly underground waters of Takigakure had been an unpleasant experience. The near perfect darkness would have made even the bravest soul panic, but thankfully Bee had an useful jutsu and Kakashi had been able to copy it where they created a glow in the water to keep from crashing into the treacherous rock formations. Kunais at the ready were their only defense against some of the scary fish, but the worst part was the leaches. It took Sakura half an hour to detach them from herself and her teammates once they reached the shore. It didn't take long to heal the minor bruises, but the ick factor would haunt her that night for sure. She wondered what Itachi would have done—sighed in annoyance as he picked them off? Nah, he'd have trained them to be part of some attack.

"What are you grinning about?" Kakashi asked from her side.

Sakura shook her head and the grin faded. "Just wondering about someone."

"Hm," Kakashi said with a knowing look.

Sakura and Kakashi wandered the streets Takigakure while Naruto and Bee waited for them at the camp they had established outside of the hidden village. They wore carefully constructed disguise jutsus. Sakura's pink hair was now green-a common color amongst the villagers and the color of the hair of their target. Kakashi had his hair raven black and wore a dark colored contact over his sharingan as he used it for a closer look.

"Time to hit the local tavern? It's about dinner time. Maybe some locals will happen to gossip about something useful," Sakura suggested.

Kakashi rubbed his stomach absently. "I am hungry and we've not learned anything useful while visiting the various vendors and window shopping." He glanced at the bracelet on her wrist. "Though those jade beads on that bracelet do compliment your eyes," he said quoting the merchant they'd visited earlier.

Sakura shook the bracelet on her wrist with a grin. "Mission expense," she said. "If we only looked and didn't buy we'd have received even less information and would have seemed more suspicious."

"I suppose," Kakashi said wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "And the turquoise bracelet? How do you plan to justify that purchase?"

"I need a bribe for Memna," she said using the name they'd chosen to refer to Naruto in case they were overheard. "He was already upset not to be part of the scouting mission, but he's too noticeable."

"I don't think it's really his style," Kakashi said opening the door for the tavern and leading them inside. They were seating at a booth near the middle of the room-not ideal for a ninja expecting an attack, but best suited for overhearing gossip.

"It's for Hinata."

"Oh?"

"She's sweet on him and maybe..." Sakura trailed off when the waitress brought them a couple of waters before taking their order. "Maybe he might reciprocate."

"You can't force these things," Kakashi said drinking gingerly from the sake the waitress brought.

A trio of teenaged ninjas sat at a nearby table and they hit the jackpot. "I hear the Akatsuki has almost gathered all the jinchuriki," the blue-haired male said.

"You think they'll come for Fuu soon?" a green-haired female asked, as she nervously twirled her long hair.

"You shouldn't call her by her given name. She's not human. I say good riddance," the third member of their party said. He was a dark haired stocky male. "I say if the Akatsuki comes for her we give them to her with a big bow on top and stay in their good graces."

"How can you say that, Mugen? Fuu is a kunoichi of Takigakure. She's one of us," the blue-haired male said.

"And she's my cousin," the female added. "She's not a bartering piece."

Mugen took a swig out of his beer. "We're ninjas. All of us are bartering pieces for our village. But we don't need a ninja that can't control the demon inside of her. She's a liability. She's more likely to kill us than any mercenary band."

"Then how come we're not dead yet? She's seventeen, that's plenty of time for her to have gone on a rampage," the girl argued.

"Face it, Mae, we're in the minority. No one else in this entire village cares about Fuu," the blue-haired boy said.

"I'm not hungry," Mae said pushing away from the table. She glared at the dark-haired Mugen before flashing an apologetic smile at their blue-haired companion. "I'll find you later, Sano. Don't let this one here get you into trouble."

Mugen reached out and grabbed Mae's wrist. "Stay away from her, Mae. She's going to get you killed. I know I sound callous, but that's the consensus of the village-I'm just the only one willing to say it aloud in front of you."

"Should we follow her?" Sakura whispered.

"I already have a clone on it," Kakashi whispered back. "We'll follow after some time has passed."

Sakura nodded her assent. They'd find Fuu and reason with her. They'd need Naruto and Bee for that. In the mean time they might as well eat a meal that they didn't have to cook over a fire pit in the middle of camp.

Later, when they had traced the route taken by Kakashi's clone they'd reached a run-down playground on the outskirts of the village near the woods and far from the residential area. Two green-haired females were talking-one wearing a mid-drift white shirt and shorts with dark fishnet underneath-swung on the swingset while the other paced back and forth throwing her hands into the air in animated discussion.

"I don't see how you can just sit there, Fuu! Mugen may be a jerk, but he doesn't lie. The village has been discussing selling you to the Akatsuki!" Mae, from the tavern, moved toward her cousin and took hold of the two chains on the swing and stopped Fuu's swinging motion. "How can you be so calm?"

Fuu smiled, a brilliant flash of white teeth in the dark. "It's okay, Mae. Chomei has told me this is how the jinchuriki have been used for years. We are the powerful weapon for the village, but we are never trusted and always treated as an outsider. I've been an outcast since the day the seven-tails was placed within me." She touched the forehead protector wrapped around her right arm. "Do you know why I do not wear this across my forehead?"

"Because you have a big head?" Mae teased.

"No, and I do not," Fuu said absently rubbing her forehead. "I wear this on my arm because while I am a kunoichi from Takigakure I am not considered a trusted ninja. I have heard tales of a jinchuriki that has become the Kage of the Sand Village, and of another that is the beloved younger brother of the Raikage, and that in the Hidden Leaf there is a loud-mouthed by the name of Naruto that his entire village stands behind."

"How have you heard of these names?" Mae asked. "You're never on assignment to leave the village."

"No, but I too occasionally go to the taverns and I hear stories. But, the best stories I hear are from the children on the playgrounds. They are the ones that talk of these three as if they are heroes and not monsters. They pretend to be this Leaf ninja and intend to save the world! Until my own village can see me as something more than a liability I will continue to wear this protector on my arm."

"What did I miss?" Naruto asked quietly as he came up beside Sakura. She and Kakashi were hidden in the foliage with masked chakra. The Copy Ninja was on the opposite side of the playground from her.

"How did you know where to find me?" Sakura whispered.

Naruto smiled brightly. "I used about twenty clones and used Kurama's strong sense of smell to track you down by your shampoo."

Sakura reached over and took Naruto's hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "She's been telling stories of you, Bee, and Gaara-how she envies the way your villages accepted you as jinchurikis."

"It wasn't like we were accepted until recently," Naruto said with a frown. "I don't know any jinchurikis that had an easy life. We need to talk to her and soon. Bee was tracking down a disturbance outside of the village. One of my clones is with him, so once he finds out the source he'll dispel my clone so that we'll know."

"I think her cousin is about to leave," Sakura whispered. "Let's talk to her after that."

"Are you sure you don't want to come home with me? Mom and dad will be happy to have you. You're always welcome at our house," Mae offered.

"Thank you for your efforts," Fuu said. "I just want to enjoy the night. Maybe I'll find you in the morning, eh?"

"Okay," Mae said with obvious reluctance. "See you in the morning then!" she added with a forced cheer.

Sakura and Naruto waited a few minutes after Mae had left before they decided to approach Fuu. It was decided beforehand that Kakashi would remain in observation unless there was trouble. They unmasked their chakra and came out of the foliage with their hands held up in a peaceful manner. The green haired female jinchuriki watched them with wary honey-brown eyes.

"Fuu, we've come a long way to speak with you. We come in peace," Sakura said. "We are ninja from Konoha. My friend, Naruto," she said inclining her head towards him, "is also a jinchuriki. We believe you are in danger."

"I'm not in danger," Fuu said, matter-of-factly.

"Actually, you are. The Akatsuki are on their way to steal your Tailed-Beast. And you won't live through the process. I know, because I was there when they stole Gaara's One-Tail. A powerful medical ninja gave her life to save his in a powerful jutsu," Naruto explained. "I'm the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. I have been traveling with the Eight-Tails jinchuriki and together we've managed to evade and defeat the Akatsuki that have crossed our paths."

Fuu stood from the swingset. "I am a kunoichi of Takigakure. My loyalty is to this village and I will do anything in my power to protect this village. And if this village has decided to sell me to the Akatsuki in the morning in order to guarantee peace from the mercenary band then I shall accept my fate."

"Do you even know what the Akatsuki wants to do with your tailed beast?" Sakura demanded. How could this girl so easily accept a fate of death? What kind of ninja way was that? She much preferred Naruto's ninja way. This fatalistic approach was too similar to the mindset that had destroyed Itachi's young life.

Fuu shrugged. "As you say, I will not survive the process. And my village doesn't have the same strength as Konoha or Sand or Lightning. If I do not go peacefully many will die in vain."

Naruto opened his mouth to argue and then quickly snapped it shut as he absorbed the information of his re-absorbed clone. His blue eyes widened in panic as he turned to Sakura. "This is bad. Bee is on his way here. Nagato and Konan are on their way here-not the reasonable Nagato and Konan but the reanimated ones."

Kakashi appeared beside them. "Team up with us, Fuu. The Leaf, Sand, Lightning, Earth, and Water villages have allied together to fight against the threat of Akatsuki. Of the Tailed-Beasts six have been captured."

"And you think I will be safe if I join with the jinchuriki of the two Tailed-Beasts that haven't been captured?" Fuu asked. "That sounds like easy pickings."

"No ninja is ever safe, but you stand a fighting chance!" Naruto vowed. "I won't sit back and watch them take you!"

"Allowing yourself to be sacrificed won't save your village," Sakura said. "I was undercover with the Akatsuki for a while and I know that they plan to use the power of the bijus. No one will be safe."

"Yo, we got trouble on the double," Bee said joining them on a run. He looked across the playground toward Fuu. "This is the lady attracting all the baddies?"

"Who are you?" Fuu demanded. She had a red canister strapped across her back and she adjusted it warily as she took up a fighting stance.

"This is Killer Bee, he's also the jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails," Sakura explained. "And if you're going to fight, then fight the Akatsuki. We came here to reason with you and try to convince you to live and join the cause of the common good."

"If you can defeat me, then maybe I'll listen to you," Fuu said.

"Don't be a fool, you fool!" Bee shouted. "You cannot defeat the eight-tails and the nine-tails working together and all that will do is make us a bigger target for the Akatsuki by making everyone weak."

"And then this will be over sooner. I see no problem with that logic," Fuu said.

Sakura massaged her temples. Why couldn't things be simple for once? "I have a better idea," she said glancing over at Kakashi. He nodded and without further ado managed to lock Fuu into a paralyzing genjutsu with his Sharingan. Sakura rushed to her side before she could break the genjutsu and sent a surge of medical chakra into the girl's nervous system and put her into a medically induced coma.

"Do you think we can get out of here before the Akatsuki show up?" Sakura asked glancing up at her three teammates.

"Negative," Killer Bee said pulling out Samehada from the sheath on his back. "Company has arrived."

Paper circulated through the air at the playground and Sakura looked at its source to see Konan and Nagato in their resurrected forms approaching them. Nagata's body was frail and weak and he was being supported by the petite female.

The red-haired Nagata looked at them with a wary expression. His eyes locked on Naruto's. "Naruto Uzumaki, I want to apologize in advance. I have no control over my attacks. And I have clear orders that you are a priority," he explained.

"I'll find a way to free you of this jutsu, Nagato and Konan. For the sake of our mutual teacher Jiraiya I will find a way to return you to your rest," Naruto vowed.

"Always so inspirational," Konan said in a bland voice. She glanced over the group with a lingering gaze on the unconscious Fuu before her eyes snapped back to Killer Bee and his sword. "Where did you find that sword?"

"It liked me more than it's previous master, it came to be to be a fun caster," Bee answered with a quick flash of his teeth. His grin quickly vanished as the sword in his hands began to vibrate. "What's the matter with this fool?"

"Resurrection jutsu will bring back all the Akatsuki that have died. I believe Kisame Hoshigaki's spirit has been absorbed by that blade," Konan reasoned.

"It seems Kabuto is distracted, I will resist as long as possible," Nagato explained. "He is the one behind the resurrections. And I must tell you the secret of my rinnegan. When I was a child my eyes were taken and these eyes were transplanted," he said gesturing toward his swirly patterned eyes. "These were the eyes of Madaara Uchiha. After he took the eyes from his brother he transplanted his disregarded eyes to me."

"Why would he do that?" Kakashi asked.

"He always plans everything," Nagato said. His eyes went completely black and he straightened his posture.

"Oh no," Naruto whispered.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"He's starting his attack the Six Paths of Pain. The one that killed half of Konoha before he decided to reverse those events," Naruto explained.

"Oh, right, oh no," Sakura agreed as she remembered keenly the terror of the destruction of the Leaf at the hands of Nagato's full attacks.

* * *

_A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It had a lot of action going on, and a pair of cliff-hangers! How cruel of me! My wedding earlier this month went well and the honeymoon trip to Scotland was amazing (though I failed to see Nessie at the Loch Ness)! I've got New York Comic Con coming up in two weeks, but I'll see if I can get the next chapter up before then. Your reviews are appreciated! BDN_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three:**

Itachi could feel the connection with his reanimated body weaken. Kabuto was wrong. There was a weakness to his resurrection jutsu and that weakness was Itachi Uchiha. His lip twitched in amusement as he allowed himself a moment to enjoy the victory. His efforts would allow the resurrected souls to return to the peace of the afterlife.

"Itachi I have a few more questions I want to ask you before you vanish for good this time," Sasuke demanded.

"What more could you possibly want to know? Haven't I explained things enough to you?" Itachi asked frowning in annoyance. "Have you checked on that woman yet?"

"I'm on it," Sasuke mumbled heading back inside of the castle ruins.

It was then that Itachi could see a white blur of movement—that sneaky snake! He didn't have enough energy to create another Susanoo so soon, a shout would have to suffice. "Sasuke, look out to your right!"

He could hear Sasuke grunt and then his body crashed to the ground. Itachi ran after him leaving behind Kabuto's comatose body.

Deidara was stretching inside the castle ruins. "Glad I arranged myself before you ended that curse, hm?" he said looking across the way toward Sasuke when Itachi rushed in. "That snake thing just slithered inside your brother's mouth," he said with his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"If we let that snake take over Sasuke we'll be cast under the control of that cursed jutsu again," Itachi warned. He struggled to create a partial Susanoo and held Sasuke's body within the tight grip of his giant samurai warrior.

Deidara ran his fingers through his disheveled blond hair and groaned. "Fine, I'll help you so that I can die again in peace. It doesn't mean that I have to like you though. You've always been a bully."

Sasuke's eyes opened, but it wasn't his brother's dark eyes that peered back at him, but the familiar reptilian yellow gaze of Orochimaru. "Oh no you don't," Itachi growled. He glanced toward Deidara. "Don't let him leave this room, no matter what. If I fail you blow him up."

"How will I know if you fail?"

Itachi glared at him.

"Right, the Uchiha stare of doom, I'll know," Deidara said folding his arms over his chest and letting his palms begin preparing explosives. "I'll be ready just in case. I'll bring the walls down if you're not back."

Itachi didn't like trusting Deidara as the backup, but the bomb-maker had an odd sense of honor—much like Kisame's and he believed he'd do as he said. Itachi wouldn't be able to keep Sasuke's body contained in the Susanoo for long given his energy reserves so he'd have to resort to more drastic tactics. If Orochimaru's soul remnant was trying to make a home inside Sasuke's body Itachi would kick him out as he did before. All his sacrifices would have been for nothing if in the end Orochimaru took over his brother's body. There would be no second chances and he would be a displaced soul once more or perhaps he'd finally have peace this time. Itachi left the reanimated body Kabuto had attached to his soul and plunged his spirit into the body of his brother as he'd done before.

This time it was different. Sasuke's mind was a crowded mess as he found Sasuke and Orochimaru fighting one another for dominance. Unfortunately, Sasuke was losing. The corruption that had been accumulated over the years as the hate sweltered severely weakened him against the Snake.

Itachi stood in front of Sasuke, who was no longer the moody sixteen year old tall, muscular boy, but a small and scared six year old that Itachi remembered well from his days in Anbu. The goodness in the boy had been wiped out when Itachi slaughtered the clan when he was six years old and his soul's base form was of the small child. Itachi had both suspected and feared this upon seeing the form of his brother's demonic looking Susanoo.

"Make him go away, Nii-san!" the young Sasuke said clutching onto the back of Itachi's robes and burying his face against his leg.

"I purged you from Sasuke's body before, snake, I'll do it again," Itachi vowed. "You couldn't have my body, why would you think I'd let you have my brother's body?"

"Sasuke wants me, Itachi. He seeks me even now. He wants to resurrect me and seek answers," Orochimaru hissed.

"He always wants answers, he's an inquisitive boy, but you're hardly the only one that has answers."

"If you want to win this war you need my skills. Only I can revive the four hokages of the Leaf. Without them you cannot hope to defeat Madaara! If you were loyal to Konoha you will allow this small sacrifice," Orochimaru said.

"Madaara is a relic of the past trying to stubbornly cling to an antiquated idea. We don't need him! And an Uchiha will defeat him, not a want-to-be." Itachi grit his teeth and restrained himself from going after Orochimaru directly while Sasuke was so scared. Whatever technique Orochimaru bragged about was no doubt stolen from the Uchiha secret archives. "You are a relic and aren't needed."

"Oh? Who's speaking, Itachi-kun? Aren't you dead?"

"I am still here and I'm going to make sure that Sasuke has a real chance at a future not destroyed by constant war and vengeance." Itachi could feel Sasuke in his younger form clutching to his leg and warm tears soaking into the fabric of his pants. He laid a calming hand on the boy's dark crown of hair.

"Too late for that!"

"Too late for you," Itachi said. He would destroy the snake completely and utterly. He used his Ameratsu once more and set the anemic snake ninja to fire. The beauty of the Sharingan was that Itachi was equally powerful in both reality and in the world of the mind. It was part of what had made the Uchiha clan so formidable. He watched until the very last essence of Orochimaru had vanished from existence.

"I'm so tired, nii-san," Sasuke said looking up into Itachi's eyes. His dark eyes were pits of unending sadness. "Is the bad man gone?"

"Yes, Sasuke, he's gone now. It's over," Itachi said crouching in front of his child-like brother with both hands on his small, frail shoulders. "You can go home now. You can return to your friends."

"Do you see them, Itachi?" Sasuke asked looking at something behind Itachi.

"See who, Sasuke?" he asked glancing over his shoulder and seeing nothing but a gray mist.

"I see mother and father," Sasuke said with a wavering smile and tears filling his dark eyes. "They say I can come with them now."

"No, Sasuke. Your friends need you," Itachi said firmly shaking his brother by the shoulders.

Sasuke pushed Itachi away and he stood to his full height catching his balance easy as he stared down at his younger brother. "I'm a missing-ninja. I'm lower than trash because I abandoned my team," Sasuke said his voice no longer that of a six year old, but the tone and cadence of his mature voice. "And I'm so tired, Itachi nii-san," Sasuke said wrapping his arms around Itachi's waist and hugging him close. "Please, tell that loser Naruto and that annoying Sakura that I love them. And, that I'll see them many years from now and if they come any sooner," he pushed away suddenly and was the sixteen-year old Itachi recognized of late, "that I'll beat the crap out of them both for dying."

"You cannot go, Sasuke. You have too many questions that I haven't answered."

"I never should have left Konoha. I had all the answers I needed there. My answer was in Team Seven. They were meant to be my new family. Kakashi tried to be a supportive father figure, Naruto the brother that would never turn his back on me, and Sakura could have been my wife. But I severed those ties. It's too late for me."

Sasuke started to walk past Itachi.

"No! As your superior officer and older brother I forbid you to leave this life!"

Sasuke looked over his shoulder as he kept walking and smiled sadly. "This time I am making the sacrifice for you nii-san."

Everything faded to black and Itachi felt a great void of emptiness as he woke up in his brother's body alone. He opened his eyes and saw what he thought was a clay shell of a body that he'd previously inhabited-it was not a clay body but the flesh and blood body of a Konoha ninja that had died and instead of shattering it began to rapidly decompose. Itachi hurried away from the overpowering stench of the rotting corpse. Then as if struck by a typhoon, Sasuke's memories and his memories began to merge and to overwhelm him.

"No!" he screamed falling to his knees and clutching his head in his hands. He felt over-powered by the emotions and memories that that flooded his mind in Sasuke's absence. The most prominent memories were that of his Team Seven and as a child of their family. An image of the thirteen-year old version of himself covered in blood was a focal point behind the tragic revenge obsessed creature that became his younger brother.

And beyond the tragic memories there was a deep-seated love for Sakura Haruno that compounded with the feelings that Itachi already felt. And it was in that moment that Itachi realized that Sasuke did indeed love the pink-haired kunoichi. It made the loss of his baby brother that much more devastating. And that wasn't even taking into account the brotherly affection he felt for Naruto that rivaled the feelings Sasuke had for him.

"So you okay?" Deidara asked poised to bring the house down with his explosives.

A quick scan showed that Kabuto was locked in the eternal jutsu right where he left him. He pulled out Sasuke's sword and the while he didn't believe in violence for his brother he would make sure of the snake's end. Kabuto wouldn't be coming back for another round.

"So I'm going out on a limb here and am thinking that Orochimaru isn't the one in charge, hm?" Deidara asked.

"He has been destroyed," Itachi confirmed.

"Woah! Itachi?"

Itachi kept his sword out as the anger and despair threatened to overwhelm him. "If you wish to enjoy your last moments before the power of the jutsu fades completely I suggest you leave."

Deidara flashed him an easy smile and held up his hands disarmingly. "Not a peep from me," he promised. "Though I just thought you should know that woman is still alive. I checked on her while you were occupied."

Itachi watched as Deidara took to the air. Given the blonde's cunning he might just survive for quite some time before returning to the afterlife. Itachi kneeled beside Anko's unconscious body and felt her faint pulse at her throat. There was nothing for him in the daimyo's forgotten castle. He paused beside the rotting corpse that housed his spirit for the past few days and said a quick prayer that the unknown ninja would find peace.

Orochimaru was wrong. Itachi had the knowledge available to resurrect the four hokages. He just didn't know if that would be necessary. He leaned down and picked up Anko and slung her over his shoulder. It was a few days of hard journey between him and Konoha. And while Orochimaru was a vile creature, he did have a good idea. It was time to swing by the Uchiha compound and awaken Konoha's greatest heroes.


	24. Chapter 24

_A/N:__It seems I caught a lot of you off guard with the plot twist in the last chapter—good! Thank you so much for taking the time to review—it's very encouraging! And to answer one of your questions: Deidara knew it was Itachi inside Sasuke's body because he had a deep sense of fear against Itachi and mere hatred and annoyance towards Sasuke. He could feel the intensity of Itachi's presence. Just like how some people have a certain charisma about them and others don't. Let's just say Itachi is one charismatic fellow!_

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

"Naruto, I am sorry to have a reunion like this," Nagato said as he and Konan approached the playground. The purple-haired female supported the pale, emaciated Nagato. "It was never my intention to cross paths as enemies again."

"We do not wish to fight against a fellow student of Jiraiya and while we can speak to you freely we will try to warn you of our attacks," Konan said.

"It's good to see you with your friends," Nagato commented eyeing Naruto's team. "I'm afraid that you will need them. Kabuto seems to be distracted at present."

"Kabuto is the one behind the reanimation jutsu?" Kakashi asked.

"Indeed he is, Copy Ninja," Nagato confirmed. He pointed to his eyes. "I see you have a Sharingan—you will need it. I will tell you of the origin of my Rinnegan eyes. When I was but a child, Madaara Uchiha had his brother's eyes implanted into himself and his advanced Sharingan eyes were implanted into me. The Rinnegan is the most advanced form of the Sharingan."

"No way," Naruto said slack jawed.

"That makes sense," Sakura said thinking over her knowledge of the Sharingan that she'd accumulated during her time with Itachi and Sasuke. She glanced back at the unconscious Fuu. "Are you here to claim the Seven-Tails?"

"And the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails," Konan said. "We were supposed to have Itachi with us, but I suppose having Kisame will have to suffice," she said pointing towards Bee's sword Samehada.

"What's that fool talking about?" Bee asked. He removed Samehada from across his back and held the sword out in front of him. He shook the blade. "Samehada's aura feels fishy."

"Looks like time for talk is over," Nagato said taking up a fighting stance.

"Oh no, he's about to do the Six-Path's of Pain," Naruto said standing next to Sakura. "Maybe you should stay back with Fuu and let me handle this. Keep her safe."

"I'm not going to stand back and watch you endanger your life, Naruto," Sakura hissed. She'd been trained under the Hokage and the genius Itachi Uchiha. She wasn't about to step back and be an observer again. "You're not fighting this without me. Just give me a few more seconds and I'll be at full power."

"Not sure we have a few seconds," Kakashi murmured coming to stand against her back as Pain's six henchmen began to circle around them. Yahiko was the most prominent of the shinobi puppets. The metal spikes in his nose flashing in the dappled light of the forest.

Sakura concentrated on gathering chakra much as she had been for the past three years. She was so close to unleashing her full potential and she'd be so much more useful to her teammates. As she was, she couldn't compete with two jinchuriki (three if they could convince Fuu to join forces) and the famous Copy Ninja. She would not be the weak link on their team.

Finally, she could feel that she'd accumulated the right amount of chakra and slammed her fist into the ground creating a barrier all around them.

"Woah! That was awesome, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said with a toothy grin. His bright blue eyes grew wide. "You've got that same diamond tattoo like Granny Tsunade!"

"It's called the White Strength Seal. I wanted to give us a moment to strategize. We need to travel under the earth like Kakashi taught us, remember? And fight against Pain and Konan that way. I'm going to summon Katsuyu and see if I can wake up Fuu and convince her to fight with us too."

"Sounds like a plan, let's not waste any more time like a fool!" Bee said. He tossed his sword from hand to hand. "This blade does feel funny, not at all like we're chummy," he said frowning.

"Kurama has agreed to help," Naruto said. "I'm going to surround you two in his chakra to help protect you from injury and increase your own power levels," he said to Sakura and Kakashi.

Sakura took a deep breath as she felt her body covered in an aura of the fox's chakra and that coupled with her White Strength Seal she had never felt stronger. She exchanged glances with Kakashi and he nodded and they left the relative safety of the earthen barrier to face the resurrected Akatsuki members. Sakura took Fuu with her into the field to revive while her three teammates teamed up against the Six Paths of Pain.

"All right, you need to wake up and be reasonable, Fuu," Sakura chided as she sent a surge of healing chakra into the girl's body.

A whirlwind of paper began to circle around them before Sakura could summon Katsuyu. Sakura glanced up to see Konan looking down at her. "Let us let the boys play together and us girls will have our own game, no? It's not my intention to kill you Leaf ninja, but I must acquire the Seven-Tails and do not control my actions at will."

Sakura stood, holding Fuu against her as the green-haired jinchuriki began to blink her eyes slowly and awaken. Fuu jerked out of Sakura's grasp and squared off against both her and Konan. "What's going on?"

"That Akatsuki has come to collect your bijuu," Sakura explained. "And preferably with you dead."

"It is what my village would want," Fuu said standing with her arms at her side without an ounce of protest in her posture.

Konan took up a fighting stance, spreading her paper wings wide and she frowned at Sakura. "Is the girl so stupid as to throw away her life?" she asked. "Make her see the beauty of life. Death solves nothing. Now, I suggest you substitute away from where you are now. I'm about to attack with deadly intent."

Sakura didn't need to be told twice and quickly evaded the deadly paper projectiles. The only good thing to come of these reanimated corpses was when they were powerful enough to retain their personalities and could fight their orders. A play-by-play warning of their attack was sometimes the only thing between them and the death of their would-be opponent.

"Itachi must be fighting Kabuto," Sakura reasoned aloud.

"I believe you are correct. He was always a clever one. I wouldn't be surprised if he's working out a way to defeat Kabuto. Perhaps all you must do is survive long enough until he can stop the jutsu," Konan said before sending another volley of projectiles. "On your seven, I'm about to attack."

Fuu didn't move and was slammed with the full force of Konan's attack. Her pale flesh was covered in countless lacerations and bright scarlet blood lined her skin. She collapsed to her knees as a pair of chakra tails appeared. While Fuu might have given up her bijuu looked like it wanted to fight.

"This stupid girl is going to be killed soon if you do not waken her to reason," Konan warned. She glanced over at Sakura, her eyes focused on the necklace at Sakura's throat. "I see Itachi did find someone to entrust with that necklace. I helped him research the blood spell that powered it."

"It served as a very powerful amulet," Sakura agreed rushing to Fuu's side and sending in a healing wave of chakra stitching up the multiple cuts into flawless skin.

"Chomei doesn't want your help," Fuu said pushing Sakura away with a wave of angry chakra. She began to transform into a giant bug-like creature.

"That's a bit gross," Konan commented. "On your three!" she shouted in warning.

Sakura created a barrier of earth to block the paper attack.

She rolled immediately and ended up next to Konan as Fuu began to exhale a sparking substance that was absolutely blinding. She raised her arm to her eyes to try and block the bright light and was snatched away from her position by Naruto before the Akatsuki member before her could slash a sword into her.

"I had a feeling you needed some Yellow Flash mojo," Naruto said with a cheeky grin.

They glanced over at the transformation of Fuu into her tailed-beast. Kurama was cute in his fox-like form and Bee's octopus/ox creature was also cute in in its own way. The Seven-Tails, Chomei, was not cute. Two of the tails formed a pair of wings and it took to the air like a giant hornet.

"That's scary looking," Sakura said swallowing thickly.

"Uh yeah," Naruto said as they rolled out of the way of another attack by Konan.

The paper mistress sent a powerful wave of attacks towards Fuu and landed several devastating blows that would destroy most opponents. Fuu released another barrage of brilliantly shiny substance into the air and Team Seven made haste to put distance between them.

"I think I like my battle better," Naruto said. "Nagato was giving a play by play and it really helped."

"Good, you're both fine," Kakashi said as they met back up with him and stood shoulder to shoulder. "Update: Nagato is no longer giving us the play by play."

"Do you think you can beat him again, Naruto?" Sakura asked. "And where's Bee?"

"He's fighting. It turns out Kisame's soul was inside Samehada and he just got brought back in the middle of the fight after Nagato did some sort of jutsu," Kakashi explained.

"I beat Nagato last time because I was able to reason with him," Naruto worried. "I didn't have to beat a giant glitter vomiting bug at the same time!"

"Now you have Team Kakashi with you!" Sakura said. "We'll do this! Every jutsu has a weakness!"

Fuu in her beast-mode swooped onto the battle field and Konan wasn't far behind. Her paper attacks mixed with the glittery substance made the area hard to see. It wasn't long until Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, and Bee were all standing back to back while Nagato and his Six Paths of Pain, Konan with her angelic paper wings spread wide, Kisame in a foaming at the mouth shark-like form, and the Seven-Tails circled them. It became apparent that Nagato and Konan were struggling for control—but neither Kisame nor Fuu looked rational.

"Whatever you do, don't look at their Rinnegan," Sakura warned. If it was the next step of evolution of the Sharingan eye then there was no telling what sort of havoc it could reek. "What happened?" she asked Bee.

"Samehada spewed out that nasty shark dude," Bee explained shifting his sword from one shoulder to the other.

"Maybe if Bee and I could combine our chakra with Kurama and Gyuki and also protect the two of you within that same chakra shield," Naruto reasoned. "Then we could move fast enough with enough clones to take out Nagato's six pawns. We'd have to do it at the same time and also while evading Konan, Kisame, and Fuu."

"Or maybe just Konan," Kakashi observed when the rabid Kisame rushed after Fuu and her Chomei.

"Something gone our way, but it's still not been our day," Bee said frowning.

"Let's do this," Naruto said. He punched his fist into his open palm and the next thing Sakura knew, she and her teammates were glowing within the orange and red protective chakra of the Eight and Nine Tails.

With the connection of the bijuus' chakra they were able to communicate telepathically as if a member of the Yamanaka clan were with them. Naruto, Kakashi, Bee, and even Sakura sent two clones each to decimate the Six Paths of Pain while Sakura and Kakashi went after Konan themselves while Naruto and Bee went for Nagato.

They managed to subdue them momentarily before that cursed glittery bug vomit came spewing at them again blinding them all.

The shadow clones were all dispelled violently simultaneously as the Six Paths of Pain swarmed in on the group. And then they were motionless. Sakura peeked up from Kakashi's shoulder—she'd thrown him to the ground to evade an attack on his blind-side. Naruto had thrown his Rasengan in Kisame's direction and had thrown the shark several yards away. Nagato and Konan blinked slowly before she rushed to his side to help him stand as his body had once more become weak and unsteady.

"Itachi must have succeeded," Konan said. She gestured toward Fuu and Kisame. "Those two however were not subject to his resurrection technique."

"I can help you," Nagato said with a shuddering breath. He looked down at the burning center of his abdomen. "You hit me hard earlier," he said to Naruto. The blond had hit him with a multitude of Rasengans earlier, but it hadn't slowed him a bit during their battle.

The next thing Sakura knew, Kisame was towering over her with blood lust in his dark eyes.

"Uh, hi, Kisame. I'm a friend of Itachi—your old partner?" Sakura pulled her charm out so that the shark-man could see it. His dark eyes flickered down to the charm and a momentary flash of recognition seemed to spark through them before they clouded back over in darkness. "Right," Sakura said blowing out a frustrated breath. She coated her fist in a generous amount of chakra and sent a wicked upper cut into the shark-man's jaw. Itachi might have taught her more finesse in fighting, but Tsunade trained her to be violent.

Unfortunately, the fist to Kisame's jaw barely staggered him. He glared down at her with narrowed eyes.

"Time to go," Naruto said appearing at Sakura's side and flashing her away with him. Bee leaped in front of Kisame and began to engage him in hand-to-hand combat.

Sakura was about to argue when one of Katsuyu's smaller slugs appeared at her feet. She crouched down to be closer to the creature. "I didn't summon you, yet," Sakura said with a furrowed brow.

"No, and Lady Tsunade is quite angry with her apprentice. I've been sent to find you and-" the slug messenger was interrupted.

"Granny Tsunade is okay?" Naruto asked.

"Lady Tsunade is awake?" Sakura asked at the same time. They exchanged quick glances. "What have the Five Kages decided to do?"

"If you will let me finish," the slug said with obvious annoyance. "Lady Tsunade requests you report to the village immediately. Your medical skills are needed. The Five Kages have met and have agreed that Naruto and Bee may join the front lines-which is just outside of the village unfortunately. And Kakashi," the slug continued when the Copy Ninja came to stand beside them. "Kakashi, Lady Tsunade wants to thank you for filling in as Interim Hokage, but if you ever endanger her apprentice on another reckless mission there will be hell to pay and ribs will be broken. You are to accompany her back to the village."

"What about Fuu? We're trying to recruit her to fight alongside Naruto and Bee," Sakura explained.

"I do not know, I can try to relay the question back to her, but it will be some time before her answer will reach you," Katsuyu's small messenger slug answered.

"Just let her know that we're trying to recruit more allies," Sakura said. "Thank you for delivering this message."

The slug nodded before popping back out of sight.

"So, I guess we're parting company again," Sakura said to Naruto.

He stood and created a few dozen Shadow Clones. "One of me will go with you and the rest will look for the allies fighting and help where I can."

"We will help you with Kisame and the Seven-Tails," Nagato said as he and Konan came to their side. "We will do all within our power to stop Madaara and his reign."

"How come you two have turned a one-eighty in regard to Madaara?" Sakura asked.

"He has manipulated us since we were children," Konan said, her voice thick with hate. "And he killed me when I would not tell him where he could find Nagato's body so that he could plunder my friend's eyes." She squeezed her arm around her partner's waist possessively. "I just wanted him to finally know peace, but as you can see that was impossible."

"We will have peace, Konan. For now, we will help the Allied Shinobi for as long as we find ourselves on this plane of existence," Nagato said. He glanced toward Kakashi. "Make sure we are sealed properly when all this is over."

Kakashi nodded his agreement. He glanced over as Fuu started to fly toward them, but was met in the sky by Konan on her paper wings. "I leave this in your hands, Naruto. If anyone can make allies of those two it would be you."

"Or I could just let my sword eat him again," Bee said stumbling back toward them. Kisame staggered under Bee's recent assault, but started toward them again. "You got orders, so get going. We'll meet you all shortly."

"Be careful," Sakura said wrapping her arms around the original Naruto's waist in a tight hug.

"Sure thing, Sakura-chan," he said returning her hug before releasing her. He tapped the diamond on her forehead gently. "I'll see you on the battle field later."

It was with a great deal of trepidation that Sakura left her teammates behind to finish the battle. She, Kakashi, and a handful of Naruto's clones started to make their way back to their village and didn't bother hiding their presence from the people of Takigakure. The time for subterfuge was over and if they hadn't already heard the the battle in the playground then the people were truly oblivious.

It would be a long journey back to the village-hopefully they'd get there without any delay. Throughout the run Naruto's shadow clones would peel away to head in different directions where they were needed. However, after roughly four hours Sakura stumbled and would have fallen from the branch on which she landed had one of Naruto's clones not gripped her arm.

"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura reached up for her necklace from Itachi and felt it grow cold. She swallowed thickly. "No, I just lost my concentration for a moment. Thanks for the save."

Kakashi had paused a few meters ahead and turned back toward her. "We can take a short break, hydrate, take some soldier pills," he offered.

"Not necessary. Let's go, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said with a determined thinning of her lips. She had lost Itachi when he forced her to leave. He was gone before they ever even met. The necklace was but a trivial token and she had more important things to worry about.

She hardly even noticed the warm tears that were streaming down her face and thankfully, neither Kakashi nor Naruto's clone commented.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five:**

Itachi was oddly grateful to have company after having lost his brother-even if that company was Deidara. He sat behind the bomb maker on one of his clay birds flying through the air. They were making a stop on the way to the Uchiha compound to pick up the remaining members of Sasuke's Team Hawk. He would give them Anko's body to have delivered back to Konoha to serve as an olive branch.

But first, he would need all their help in order to pull off the crazy plan he had envisioned. Kabuto's use of the resurrection technique was a blatant rip off of an archaic jutsu created by his ancestors. Though, the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama and his great grandfather Uchiha Izuna-Madaara's younger brother-had worked together to perfect the jutsu.

"So, what exactly do you have planned, Itachi? Hm?" Deidara asked glancing over his shoulder.

"Collect Team Hawk, raid my family's library for forbidden techniques, resurrect Konoha's Four Hokages, and defeat my crazed uncles once and for all."

"That doesn't sound too hard," Deidara said with a roll of his eyes.

"And then I have to have a talk with Sasuke's summons. Make sure he'll still accept me as his master," Itachi added.

"Not too hard at all," Deidara reiterated.

**OoO**

"You have to take a break," Sai said as Sakura stood at the sink scrubbing her hands after finishing her eighth surgery of the day.

"Don't have time for a break. There are too many people that need me," Sakura argued shaking her hands dry when there were no paper towels. She accepted the apple that Sai held out to her. "Food though, I will gladly accept."

"Shizune sent me here to make you rest. Your orders are to eat, hydrate, and sleep for the next six hours. No soldier pills," Sai added.

Sakura closed her eyes and bit into the juicy apple. She was hungry and now that she had a moment to think she could feel the fatigue in her muscles. She'd be no good to anyone if she made a mistake from being too weary. "Any news of Kakashi?"

Sai shook his head.

It wasn't long after they'd arrived at the village that Kakashi had set off again on a top secret mission. Sakura worried constantly for both him and Naruto-the latter's clones had all gone in different directions throughout her journey back to Konoha. With the loss of Itachi she wasn't sure if she could recover if she lost either of those two. And she was no where near them. She wanted to heal everyone near her to keep more soldiers on the field to make less work for her teammates. And a small part of her wondered what became of Sasuke. Was Itachi finally able to fix what was broken in his little brother?

"Sakura!" Shizune said running toward her and Sai. "You have to go!"

"I know. I received your message," Sakura said gesturing toward Sai with her half-eaten apple. "He passed on your command. I was just about to take a nap."

"Change of plans, you must go to the battle field now," Shizune said.

"What? What happened?"

"It's gotten very bad! We just received word from Inoichi Yamanaka. Naruto has arrived and he's facing off against the masked man. The Kage are fighting Madaara. Naruto needs your help, both of you," Shizune said. "There is still a huge enemy army."

"He has plenty of allies, what aren't you telling me?" Sakura said, fear gripping her heart. "Is he hurt?"

"His injuries are great, but he lives. You need to help him. He's stretching himself too thin. I am not strong enough-it must be you or Tsunade," Shizune explained. "It won't be easy to join his side."

"We will find a way," Sai said unrolling a scroll and sketching an ink bird that would carry them to the scene. "Get on," he said holding out his hand for Sakura to help her settle behind him. They took off in the sky at a fast speed, Sakura held onto Sai's waist tightly and a hundred fears raced through her mind. She could see the Allied Ninja forces were busy fighting, but the enemy was countless. It seemed they were an almost infinite number of those White Zetus.

One of her worst fears was realized when they landed behind Naruto. Obito looked absolutely terrifying, but for the moment seemed to be preoccupied with some sort of plant thing. Naruto looked half-dead, but that wasn't what made Sakura's heart stop for a few beats. Laying in Hinata's arms was Neji and he wasn't moving.

Naruto looked up from where he sat holding Neji's hand and his tear stained cheeks were all the confirmation she needed. Sakura skid to a halt next to the trio, her finger automatically going to Neji's throat, but she knew without touching him that he was gone. The cursed scar upon his forehead was gone.

"He died, saving us," Hinata said, eyes swimming with tears.

Sakura sent a wave of healing chakra through Neji's body. If there was even a spark of life she could bring him back. Hinata was a decent healer, but she was no Hokage's apprentice.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto said quietly letting Neji's hand fall gently. He wrapped his arm around her waist. "He's gone."

"No, I can bring him back," Sakura said stubbornly. "There must be something I can do."

"Do you miss him?" Obito called out. He was no longer focused on the plant-like thing. He was looking right at them with his Sharingan and Rinnegan eyes. "Don't resist me. You can have him back. You can have all the loved ones that you have lost over the years," he offered. "Just give me the last tailed-beasts and I can make it happen."

"What's he talking about?" Sakura asked Naruto.

"He is Kakashi's old teammate- Obito. He was in love with Kakashi's other teammate Rin and she died. He's doing all this so he can create a world where she's alive," Naruto explained.

"But, Obito died saving Kakashi," Sakura reasoned.

"It seems he was saved by Madaara," Naruto said.

Konan on her paper wings and Nagato - or what was left of him, his resurrect body had seen better days - landed next to them. "Do not listen to his lies," Konan warned. "He would trap everyone into an illusion, but that is all it would be - an illusion."

Sakura brushed aside Neji's bangs and brushed a kiss to his scarless forehead. She moved to stand behind Naruto and placed her hands upon his shoulders. "Don't move," she ordered as she sought out his injuries and sent her healing chakra surging through him.

"We wiped out as much as we could of the White Zetsu Army," Nagato said. "I am afraid we cannot be much more help to you. The jutsu holding us to this world has broken and our spirits are weary."

"We will continue to fight at your side until these shells can no longer sustain us," Konan assured them.

"I do not know that Tobi can be reasoned with," Nagato said using Obito's moniker.

"Maybe he can reason with my fist," Sakura growled.

"All right, Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted standing and brushing away Sakura's hands. "Let's do this together! First we take out the rest of that army."

There was a commotion behind them and shouts rang out. "It's the Uchiha traitor!"

"Which one?" Others shouted.

Sakura turned in time to see Sasuke jump from the high cliff behind them to land crouched on his feet a little to their right. "Sasuke-kun?" she asked bewildered at his presence. Absently, she noted that his eyes looked very well healed.

"Sakura," he answered with his dark eyes lingering on the symbol on her forehead before glancing briefly at Naruto. "Naruto."

"Sasuke-teme. Did you want to join us?" Naruto asked tentatively. Sasuke nodded. "I brought friends," he said.

Friends was an understatement. Sasuke brought a small army of the strongest Konoha had to offer in the form of the first four hokages.

"Nice to see you, son," Minato said. "And is that your girlfriend?" he asked looking toward Sakura.

Both Naruto and Sasuke answered, "Sort of."

The two glared at each other.

"I'm their teammate," Sakura corrected casting confused looks between the two.

"The other two jinchuriki aren't far behind," Minato added. He looked toward Obito. "My wayward student has fallen far," he said sadly.

Sasuke came to stand next to Sakura. She looked up at him - there was something about him that she just couldn't place. Maybe it was the fact that he was there as an ally and not trying to kill her or Naruto. "What are you doing here?" she whispered.

He looked down at her, his dark eyes flickering toward the necklace at her throat briefly. "Our home is in danger and I have come to help," he said. "I would have been here sooner, but I needed to pick up some powerful allies." His eyes drifted towards Neji's body that was cooling in Hinata's arms. "It would seem I am late."

"This is war," Sakura said harshly. "There will be death, but we must do our best to keep there from being more."

"And that's why I'm here," he said.

Sakura glanced to her far right where Sai stood alongside two of Sasuke's Hawk teammates - Suigetsu and Jugo. The latter held the unconscious form of Anko. She could see others amongst the allied forces, most were battle worn and weary, but stubborn.

"Team Seven is back together again!" Naruto said pumping his fist into the air.

"And stronger than before," Sakura agreed. "If we call forth our summons perhaps we can truly challenge Obito and take down that tree thing."

"I believe the three of us can destroy the White Zetsu army," Sasuke said. "Let the four hokages deal with Obito for a while."

"Excellent plan," Minato said. "I believe we can contain my former student."

"Fine, I'll start," Sakura said. She crouched to the earth and began to summon her slug Katsuya. Naruto summoned his toad Gamabunta and Sasuke his snake Aoda. With the added strength of their summons the three were infused with massive amounts of power. The three of them stood upon the crown of their summon's heads and looked at each other. "I'll take the front, you two take the left and right."

"Hey there, don't take all the glory," Bee said hovering in the air before them. He was clutched by the legs of Fuu's tailed beast Chomei. "We're here to be part of the story."

"No way these creatures aren't going down," Fuu said.

"You're helping," Sakura marveled. She didn't expect the Seven and Eight-tailed jinchurikis to also show up at the last minute. It seemed like all the possible reinforcements were arriving to help in this Fourth Ninja War.

"I have a responsibility," Fuu said. "I just needed to be reminded."

"Okay, you two clean up any troops we leave behind," Sasuke ordered.

Sakura raced with Katsuyu towards the White Zetsu troops and with her chakra enhanced fists she destroyed every single member of the enemy army in her path by burying them in earth and shattering them with chakra blades. A few managed to escape, but were cut down by either Bee, Fuu, Nagato, or Konan.

When she was done she looked back over her shoulder to see that Naruto and Sasuke had taken care of their share of the enemy.

They regrouped and Naruto wore a huge grin and Sasuke smirked.

"I must say I'm impressed," Sasuke said.

"I actually didn't think that would go as well as it did," Sakura said. She hugged Katsuyu as she tried to calm down her heart rate that was going wild due to all the adrenaline.

"I think it has to do with the combined chakra of our summons and the tailed beasts," Sasuke said.

"You don't know," Naruto said. "I think it could be because Team Seven is reunited and there's magic in the power of friendship."

"There's certainly power in the four hokages," Sai commented as he swooped in on his inked bird to land on Katsuyu's back. The slug was familiar with the artist and accepted his presence. "They've managed to contain Obito into a four cornered prison of chakra."

"Not for long though," Sasuke said glaring at Sai. Sakura was confused by the hostility she could see in Sasuke's dark eyes as he looked at Sai. What was his problem?

"Naruto!" Gaara called, rising into the air to meet them on a cloud of sand. "We need to find a way to extract the tailed beasts from the masked man."

"I know their names," Naruto confessed. "I know that they want to be freed. I'm pretty sure that Bee, Fuu, and I can remove most of them. However, I never met with the One-Tail. I'm not sure I can convince him."

"I will reabsorb Ichibi if I have to," Gaara offered. "We have to finish off the masked man while he is incapacitated. Then Madaara must be stopped."

"It's just the two of them. Surely, we can defeat them now," Sakura said.

"Sakura, you need to heal our army. Obito did something that seems to be drawing the life out of them," Sai said. "I came to tell you."

"Right," Sakura said. She released Katsuyu's large form into a multitude of smaller healing slugs and attached one to each member of the Allied Ninja's forces. She and a smaller version, but still fairly large, traveled with Sai back to the front center of their troops near where Minato still stood holding the containment jutsu.

"Kurama will loan me more protective chakra to use," Naruto said.

"No, you will need it to defeat Obito. Chomei will allow me to do so," Fuu offered. "You aren't the only one here that wants to save everyone."

"I don't know that we have enough power to remove the other six tailed beasts," Naruto worried.

"You and I will combine our power," Sasuke said. "We will merge Kurama and my Susanoo."

"That would probably work," Gaara reasoned.

"I suggest you hurry with whatever you plan is," Nagato suggested.

"Naruto!" Minato shouted. "Come here quick!"

His son rushed over to his side on Gamabunta. "What is it, dad?" Naruto asked.

"Come down here so I don't have to yell," Minato said. His face was locked in an expression of concentration. It appeared a struggle for him to talk. "We're about to lose the ability to hold up this shield around Obito because of the intensity of his stolen-tailed beasts and Madaara's interference. We only have one of Hashirama's clones holding up his end so that he could keep Madaara away. When it falls we will need to merge Kurama's two halves."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"I mean, I took half of Kurama with me when I died and sealed the other half inside of you," Minato explained. He dropped to his knees and the four-cornered shield around Obito collapsed. "We need to do it now. Hashirama will keep Madaara from interfering for now." He held up one fist toward Naruto.

"Let's do this then!" Naruto said fist-bumping his father. A surge of intense chakra surrounded them.

Sasuke came close on Aoda and his snake curled its long body around his Team Seven Members protectively. Sakura glanced up and caught his gaze for a long moment. She felt a shiver down her spine and quickly looked away. She was glad he came to help, but part of her was angry that it wasn't Itachi that had been able to join them in the final battle.

* * *

**_A/N: Thanks for reading! I appreciate your comments and reviews. My fight scene isn't nearly as awesome as Kishimoto-san's, but I tried to incorporate as much of what he did into this chapter to keep it semi-cannon. Just a few chapters left! Thanks for sticking with me on this adventure!_**


	26. Chapter 26

_A/N: You guys had some really awesome questions in your reviews and I'll try to make sure they are addressed either personally or within the story. Enjoy! _**  
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* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six **

Itachi watched in awe as Sakura pummeled at least a third of the White Zetsu Army. Naruto had gone after the right section so that left him and Aoda to take out the left. Konan aided him in annihilating his portion of the clone army.

"I see you had a target in mind for that necklace after all," Konan said when Itachi took a moment to analyze the field after he decimated his portion of the White Zetsu clones.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Itachi answered.

"The living might not know who you are-yet. But, the dead can recognize their own," Konan argued. She reached out and gently ran her palm over his spiky hair. "This hair style does not suit you."

Itachi silently cursed that she was taller than him now. He really needed a growth spurt because he didn't not care for being a short seventeen-year old at all. Sasuke was a good ten centimeters shorter than him. He reached up and slapped her hand away.

Konan smiled at him sadly. "I hope this time you find some of that peace you fought so hard for and actually have a chance to enjoy it."

There was no point in denying it. Did that mean that the hokages he brought back knew who he was?

As if reading his thoughts, Konan answered. "Only those that knew you well would know you now. Lucky for you, or perhaps unlucky, that is a select few."

He could see Sakura and Naruto reconvening near the troops. Without another comment to Konan, he and Aoda regrouped with his Team Seven and his snake summons formed a protective circle around his teammates. He caught Sakura's gaze for a moment before she looked away. It hurt to see her look at him that way, but he didn't have time for hurt feelings.

Itachi watched with his Sharingan vision as Naruto and his father Minato combined their Kuramas' chakra into one entity. It was impressive. Supposedly the number of tails on the bijuu didn't represent their strength, but Itachi felt that was wrong. He had captured many bijuu and none held the power of the nine-tails. There was a reason that the seven, eight, and nine-tails were never captured by the Akatsuki and it wasn't simply because he was sabotaging the Akatsuki's efforts when he could.

Itachi slid down Aoda's back so that he could stand next to Naruto on the ground. "We need to combine your tailed-beast chakra and sage-mode energies with my Susanoo," he explained. He pulled out his sword Kusanagi so that it would be easier to channel his samurai warrior spirit in his Susanoo. He had not tried to create one since he'd taken over Sasuke's body. Would it look like his old Susanoo or would it be the more demonic version that Sasuke had?

Itachi was relieved to see that the Susanoo he created was more in the shape of his humanoid samurai warrior, but with the purple coloring that Sasuke's Susanoo had possessed-it made sense since it was created by the soul and the body's life force.

"Let's do this!" Naruto shouted excitedly. His bright blue eyes had the slitted pupils of the nine-tailed fox demon, but also the horizontal slit of his sage mode. Itachi had never seen such a combination of power in one individual and was glad that Naruto had always fought on the side of good. If Madaara had someone of Naruto's strength on his side it would be a hopeless battle.

Naruto would make a fine hokage one day. As long as he had some intelligent assistants to help him with the finer points of bureaucracy. Itachi would not feel guilty that it was him instead of Sasuke joining forces with Naruto to save the world and end the Fourth Great Ninja War. He knew that one of Naruto's dreams was to have Sasuke back at his side. Itachi would do all within his power to never let the boy think otherwise.

**OoO**

Sakura fell to her knees in exhaustion. She and Tsunade had combined their chakra to perform a mass healing jutsu that empowered their fellow ninja in their aid to help Naruto and Sasuke's dual attack on Obito.

It was a success.

Obito was defeated and his Eye of the Moon technique failed. Kakashi had reappeared, almost as if magically when Obito had fallen. It would seem that Kakashi had been stuck inside some Sharingan induced dimension that released him with Obito's defeat.

Sasuke had almost killed Obito with his sword, but was stopped by Kakashi, who was then stopped by Minato. The Fourth Hokage had seen into the depths of Obito's heart and had determined him to be worthy of saving. Sakura didn't know how she felt about that. Not everyone was redeemable. She glanced toward Sasuke and rethought her assessment. Maybe some were redeemable even when they had fallen far. She was still amazed that Sasuke had returned to help them when they needed him. Itachi must have gotten through to him in a way she'd never been able to before.

Madaara and the First Hokage continued in their battle against one another, but it was an age old battle and the hokage didn't want any interference much to the chagrin of his younger brother the Second Hokage.

Sasuke came to Sakura's side and looped his arm supportively around her waist. Sakura glanced at him in surprise. A pair of Tsunade's aides came to her side, but she brushed them aside and stood on her own. Sakura felt weak in comparison as she watched her master walk over to the other kages to hold a brief meeting.

"I don't need your help," she whispered struggling to stand on her own.

"No, but you're going to receive it. Besides, I'm exhausted and I'm using you for support too," Sasuke shuddered. "I'd hate to have to touch anyone else. And that was amazing what the two of you did!" Sasuke said quietly, as he stubbornly tightened his hold around her.

"You and Naruto were the real heroes," Sakura said relaxing against Sasuke's taller frame and wrapping an arm around his waist. If he was going to support her regardless of her permission so she might as well use him. She could see Naruto and Hinata embracing — the heiress was crying into his chest and Naruto was awkwardly patting her shoulder. "That idiot," she whispered affectionately.

"Indeed, but he's our idiot," Sasuke answered with fondness.

"I can't believe you came," Sakura said looking up at Sasuke. There was certainly something different about him. His eyes weren't dark pits of vengeance, but simply observant. She really felt that this time he was on her side, just like when they were kids. She trusted twelve-year old Sasuke, feared sixteen-year old Sasuke, and thought that she could trust this seventeen-year old Sasuke. "And what allies you have brought! We could not have won this without you. Thank you."

"You could have and would have won without my assistance, but the casualties would have been costly," Sasuke argued looking toward Tsunade. "And it's not won yet."

Sakura followed his gaze. Her master was meeting with the other battle-weary kages and then with the second, third, and fourth hokages.

"We will aid the First in the defeat of Madaara. This is the second war he's brought to us and it affects us all," Tsunade declared.

"Finally, a reasonable idea my grand-niece," Tobirama said with a satisfied smile. "Let's aid that stubborn brother of mine and finally put an end to Uchiha Madaara."

**OoO**

With the combined efforts of the hokages and the kages from the Allied Shinobi Forces Madaara really had no chance and was once and for all defeated.

"It's finally over," Sakura whispered.

"Hm," Sasuke answered vaguely.

A small contingent of ninjas from the Leaf approached Sasuke. "Uchiha Sasuke, you are under arrest for treason and terrorism."

"He just saved us!" Sakura said standing straighter and pulling her arm around Sasuke's waist tighter.

Tsunade, Gaara, and the Raikage moved toward them. "And his actions today will be considered," Gaara assured her. He seemed different since he merged with the One-Tailed bijuu. He seemed more at peace and yet more powerful. It certainly appeared a healthier balance than their partnership before.

"As will the vouch of character he will receive from you and Naruto no doubt, the heroes of Konoha," Tsunade added. "But he did attack the five kages at the summit. And he did slay Danzo. He must stand trial before the Allied Shinobi Nations."

"Danzo was a bad man. He ordered the annihilation of the Uchiha clan. Perhaps if he hadn't done that we'd have been able to defeat Obito and Madaara easier. We made them unique and vengeful," Sakura said defensively.

"That will also be taken into account, Sakura. Now, step away from the prisoner," Tsunade ordered.

"Technically, Madaara helped in the slaughter of the Uchihas," Sasuke pointed out. "It will be okay, Sakura. I appreciate your support," he said disentangling his arm from her. He held out his hands in front of him. "I surrender to the courts of Konoha."

"It's actually to be a tribunal of three of the Kages—Leaf, Lightning, and Sand," Gaara explained. "Earth and Water have decided to abide by whatever decision we make."

**OoO**

Itachi accepted the chakra draining chains that were put upon his wrists. He may have been a prisoner accused of treason and terrorism thanks to his brother's misguided antics, but he didn't care. He helped to stop his family from destroying everything. His actions in this last battle would weigh in his favor, but even if he were to face life in prison or execution he felt that Sasuke would be proud to know that he fought and won alongside Team Seven. He even managed to recruit Team Hawk and the first four hokages.

He could see Sakura's face drain of color as he was led away from her. He didn't like seeing her so worried. "It's going to be fine," he mouthed to her silently. She nodded back at him. Naruto's hands were in fists at his side, but he too stayed back. He could see that pale boy, Sai, come to stand next to Sakura. He shouldn't have felt jealous, but he did.

He was led toward the prisons of Konoha—the cells were vacant so he seemed to be the only detainee. Perhaps the others had been released to serve in the military force or had been moved to a more secure location. He was just glad to not be contained within one of the Root's prisons. They allowed him to wear his own clothes, but they confiscated his sword and rope belt.

As the guard locked the door of his prison cell he stood there for a moment longer. "I just wanted to say, the village appreciates you coming back like you did. I think you saved a lot of lives. Teenagers can be headstrong, but when it really mattered you pulled through. I just wanted to say thanks."

"You are welcome. My duty is to protect Konoha. I regret that my path for vengeance led me so far astray for so long," Itachi said. He probably needed to work on being more dourer in his answers. Surely Sasuke wouldn't have answered in such a manner. It hardly mattered with this man, but Sasuke's old friends would surely notice. Itachi's dead Akatsuki teammates had certainly recognized him.

The guard shifted his feet. "The hokage said you can't have any visitors just yet. She's afraid your old teammates might try to break you out. They are two of the most noble shinobi of our village, yet when it comes to you they are often known to do outrageous things."

"I do not wish them to come to harm," Itachi answered. He knew that Sasuke's true feelings for his teammates were strong and if he had known that they had loved him too maybe he wouldn't have given up on life. "If they come, let them know that I will appreciate their support in the courtroom."

"Yes," the guard said nodding before he left Itachi alone in the dark prisons.

Itachi sat on the cold floor of his cell with his back propped against the stone wall. He raised one leg and rested his arm casually on his knee and glanced out the bars at the top of the cell far above where he was able to reach that showed the sun's rays. At least he had a decent view of a big tree right outside of his cell. He had best use this time to meditate exactly what he intended to do with his sudden life. Who knew how long it would take before his trial. Would he be allowed a representative or did he need to represent himself?

And since he was the only one that would be able to release the first four hokages that he had resurrected did that mean that they too would be participating in the trial? If it was to be the kages of Leaf, Sand, and Lightning did that not include all five of the hokages that were present on earth?

The doors to the prison entrance opened and Itachi turned his attention that direction. It would seem that he wouldn't be the sole prisoner.

The guards put Obito Uchiha in the cell directly across from his. Itachi saw that he too had chakra draining chains and that he wasn't putting up any sort of fight.

"Greetings, uncle," Itachi said when the guards left and he was alone with Obito.

"Sasuke," Obito rejoined. He rattled his chains. "Not exactly the future I had envisioned."

"At least you will have a future now," Itachi said. He directed his attention back toward his cell's window. An uncertain future was superior to a static existence which is what Obito had offered. Itachi would take his chances.

* * *

_11/24/13_


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty Seven:**

He felt a few drops of water land upon his forehead. Itachi wiped them off with the back of his hand and stared out the window of his cell. Sure enough, Naruto was perched on the topmost branch of the tree outside and had just thrown a water jutsu his way.

"You cannot be speaking with me," Itachi said looking pointedly away from the window. Unfortunately, that put him looking toward Obito's cell. His neighbor had been reclusive and silent. By Itachi's opinion that made him the best sort of neighbor.

"You're talking to yourself and I'm just enjoying a nice climb in this tree," Naruto countered. The boy thought he was so clever. "My dad and the other hokages are still around."

"I will remove the jutsu as soon as they allow me. It's not permanent," Itachi promised. "It wasn't my intention to desecrate their sacred slumber. And if they decide that my life is forfeit the Second Hokage should know how to dispel the jutsu since he is the inventor."

"Shut up, you jerk! I wanted to thank you! I'm getting to spend time talking to my father — it doesn't matter how much because its more than we ever had before. You've given me a precious gift, Sasuke. Dad is actually standing look out right now," Naruto said.

Itachi felt his lip curl into a smile. Minato was an amazing man in life. He didn't remember a lot about him, but he remembered his kind smile back when he was a child. He was probably the best hokage the village had ever had. And it was him, Naruto, Minato, and the Second Hokage that teamed up to defeat Obito. And it was Minato that spared Obito's life. Itachi glanced back toward the cell across from him. He could see that Obito was also sitting up now and playing attention to the happenings in Itachi's window.

"Do you know if I am to have representation at this trial?"

"I think you'll be defending yourself. It's more of an interrogation from what Bee told me. He overheard his brother the Raikage talking about it. I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're back and I'll fight for you." Naruto chuckled. "I'm hoping we'll be eligible to take the Chunin exams together in a few months."

"The Chunin exams?" Itachi asked confused. "Why?"

Natuto scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, technically even though we're both elite ninja in our skills and saved the world we haven't passed the Chunin exam. After you trained with Orochimaru, I trained under Jiraiya. So, I wasn't around to take the exam."

"Sakura isn't a genin is she?"

"Of course not! She trained under the hokage so she took the test and passed us by! I'm not sure, but she might be a jonin after today. So now we have to catch up!" Naruto said pumping his fist in the air.

"Quiet," Itachi hissed.

"Right," Naruto said in a stage whisper. "I don't think you'll have long to wait before the trial. It might even be tomorrow. You've got a lot of public support. And Sakura is trying to convince Granny Tsunade to have the trial soon so that you can join us for the funerals should you be released."

"All right, I'll see you at the trial then," Itachi said. He closed his eyes and tried to return to his meditating.

"Sasuke?" Naruto called out in a voice that lacked the enthusiasm of a few moments ago. It took Itachi a moment to realize he was still talking to him. He opened his eyes and looked back at Naruto. "We've lost a lot of good people. I'm not going to lose you again. That's a promise."

Itachi remained silent and closed his eyes. He could hear as Naruto vacated the tree. He would answer the questions of the tribunal to the best of his ability. At least he did have access to Sasuke's memories. And while Itachi had been a ghost now he felt haunted by his brother's memories.

How had he not realized that Sasuke was still only a genin? This experience of humility would have done his brother wonders. If only he was still alive. Itachi clenched his hands into tight fists and took a deep breath. There was no point in dwelling on matters he had no control over.

He stood in his cell and started to do a series of stretches. It was terribly un-responsible of him to allow his body to deteriorate. He needed to be in top form and even if he didn't have an ounce of chakra flowing through his body due to his chains he wouldn't sit in his cell withering away any longer.

"There is no point," Obito called out.

Itachi glanced across the hallway at his neighboring prisoner. He didn't think that Obito had moved at all since he'd been imprisoned. Had he seen him eat or drink?

"Life is the point," Itachi argued. "If you cannot figure that out then even Minato's mercy will not be enough to spare you."

**OoO**

Sakura was incredibly nervous. When Naruto had come by her apartment to pick her up she had already changed outfits five times. She was about to change for a sixth, but he convinced her that she looked professional and that they needed to leave.

They were meeting in the Hokage's tower along with Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Sai. They were all to be witnesses for Sasuke. Anko, if she was feeling better, was also to be a witness. Considering that Sasuke had saved her life and carried her back to Konoha Sakura really hoped that she'd make it to the tribunal.

It was a small room that they were meeting in. There were two benches on one side, a solitaire chair in the middle presumably for Sasuke, and an elevated bench for the kages to sit in judgment with a table in front with stacks of paper. Perhaps the papers were documentation of Sasuke's crimes? And there was a court reporter in the far corner of the room.

Sasuke was escorted into the middle of the room and seated in the plain wooden chair. His hands and ankles were still locked inside of chakra draining chains.

Tsunade, Gaara, and Aye walked into the chambers and took their seats at the front. Sakura was surprised to see that after them the four resurrected Hokages entered and stood behind the three living leaders. Would they be weighing in on the judgment as well?

"Uchiha Sasuke, you have been brought here on the charges of treason and terrorism. How do you plead?" Tsunade asked.

Sasuke stood from his chair and the chains at his arms and ankles clanged loudly against the stone floor. "I cannot plead innocent or guilty. For my actions are not so black and white, but always a shade of moral gray. I was driven by madness - so perhaps innocent by temporary insanity."

"So let it be noted that the accused claims innocence," Gaara stated. The record keeper was rapidly documenting the proceedings with her typewriter.

"Sasuke, did you or did you not defect from Konoha at the age of twelve?" Tsunade asked.

"I did," Sasuke answered.

"For what purpose?"

"To train under Orochimaru, one of the sannin. To be honest, he was the only one whom I knew his location. He approached me during the Chunin exams and said he could make me stronger."

"Did you try to kill your teammates?"

"If I had wanted to kill them, they would be dead," Sasuke said coldly. "They are very much alive."

"Did you kill Orochimaru?"

"He's made himself immortal, so no. I did however destroy the body that I knew of at the time and freed the ninja whom he performed tests upon." Sasuke gestured toward Anko with his chained hands. "Victims like Anko and my Hawk teammates."

"What do you mean that Orochimaru is immortal?"

"Part of him had hidden within my body and I had no idea. My brother Itachi removed him from me. Itachi defeated Orochimaru. And then again, Kabuto had allowed a small graft of Orochimaru to be infused within his body and the snake-nin once more lived. The resurrected Itachi and I defeated him," Sasuke explained.

"And you claim that Itachi was not a traitor to Konoha?"

"As your own records will show you, Itachi was ordered by the Konoha council to slaughter the entire Uchiha clan in order to prevent a rebellion. As he didn't like violence he agreed, but on the condition that his brother be spared," Sasuke said.

"That's true," the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi said. "I had not agreed to the order, but Danzo and the council members had orchestrated it. I found out after the fact and promised Itachi that Sasuke would be protected."

"I never liked that guy," Gaara commented. "Thank you, Sasuke. You may be seated for now."

"Haruno Sakura, will you come answer a few questions about Mr. Uchiha?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura stood from her position. "I will."

"How do you know the defendant?" Tsunade asked.

"We were students together at the academy, then teammates on Team Seven."

"Is it safe to say you were friends?" Gaara asked.

"Of course we were friends. We still are."

"Did you know of his plans to defect from Konoha?" Tsunade asked.

"I suspected that he might. He was a troubled young man. He was very sweet before his family was murdered by his beloved older brother. The cruelty of Danzo is what led to the traumatic event that scarred both Sasuke and Itachi. Danzo wanted to kill the Uchihas so that he could gain power. He had the eyes of all the murdered Uchihas implanted onto his body."

The kages began to converse quietly amongst themselves.

Tsunade cleared her throat. "The Uchiha Massacre isn't part of this trial."

"It should be. Its the event that traumatized a young boy. As a medical professional both you and I know that post traumatic stress disorder can destroy a person. It made Sasuke start his quest for revenge. Sasuke was a good teammate - Naruto and I could trust that he would do his part on our missions. He would not abandon his teammates," Sakura said.

"And did you try to stop him when he defected from the Leaf?" Tsunade asked.

"You know I did. But he wouldn't listen to reason. He was full of anger and sadness. He wanted to become stronger so that he could prevent another tragedy of such proportion," Sakura said.

"That's conjecture, Sakura," Gaara said. "But I understand what you are saying. You could say that until I met Naruto that I too was driven by tragedy and sadness. I can relate to Sasuke's defecting. He was becoming complacent and content with his teammates. He didn't want to lose the anger that had driven him for years."

"He wanted to cut his bonds," Sakura agreed. "That's what he told Naruto and me. But he still had compassion."

"Okay, so twelve year old Sasuke was a good kid, just a little misguided," the Raikage said in summary. "How many times did he try to kill you, Sakura?"

Sakura swallowed thickly. This answer wouldn't be too favorable for her old teammate. She glanced over at Sasuke, but he was looking straight ahead-his dark eyes unreadable. "Three times," she answered truthfully. "Though to be honest, one of those times was in defense of my trying to kill him."

"And what stopped him from killing you?" Tsunade asked. "Was it his compassion?"

"It was Itachi," Sakura said. She felt Sasuke's eyes on her then. "He learned the truth behind Itachi's actions. Then all he wanted was to destroy Danzo. Considering that Danzo stole the title of hokage when you were in a coma master I can agree that he was a despicable power-hungry man."

"That's true. I never cared for him," Gaara said. He pointed toward Kakashi. "The kages wanted Kakashi - we trusted him. Danzo was foul. I still approached Kakashi when Danzo was in power. He was a dark man. I believe Sakura's account."

"Danzo was twisted by his desire to be Hokage. He and I were rivals in our youth. He created Root when he was unable to attain the rank of village leader," Hiruzen said.

"So, Sakura, you're saying this boy here tried to kill you three times, but you still think he's trustworthy?" the Raikage asked.

"If Sasuke really wanted me dead, I'd be dead," Sakura said flatly. "He came back with desperately needed allies. He is the reason I'm alive today - I have no doubt."

"Okay, Sakura you can have a seat," Tsunade said in dismissal. Kakashi and Naruto were questioned next. Their sentiments echoed Sakura's.

"I tried to teach him, but I couldn't see how deeply troubled he was," Kakashi said. "Sasuke needed professional counseling and yet all we did was stress to him the importance of ninja school. We told him how he could serve and help his village, but his village never helped him."

"If you don't release Sasuke I can't promise that I won't be breaking him out and defecting myself," Naruto warned. "And I'll be taking Sakura with me too. And all the rookie nine. And Bee too."

"Naruto, you can't threaten to leave with all your friends if things don't go your way," Minato chided gently, but he was smiling.

"If this is about a balance of good deeds versus bad deeds, I believe Sasuke's actions as of late far outweigh the tantrums of a bad-tempered teenager," Shikamaru said. "If I had a say, I would say that strategically Konoha needs Sasuke Uchiha."

"Sasuke saved my life," Anko said.

"I don't like Sasuke," Sai said. "He made Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi very sad. However, I owe Sasuke. When he killed Danzo the jutsu that sealed my words was destroyed. Root has many dark secrets. Danzo was a very bad man and an enemy of Konoha. In Root upon recruitment you are given a brother. The two of you train together, live together, eat together. In order to graduate from Root the final test is to kill your brother. I killed my brother. However, when faced with that same choice Sasuke spared Naruto. If there was a bad guy, it was Danzo."

There was a great deal of murmuring amongst the kages.

Sai sat back next to Sakura. She took his hand and held it hoping to comfort her teammate. She knew it was hard for him to talk about his brother. It was obvious that Sai was emotionally stunted by the trauma he was forced to endure in Root. What Sasuke went through was similar. Surely, they would see that and spare his life.

"Sasuke, if you would answer a few more questions," Gaara said. "Can you tell us exactly about your actions in the Fourth Great Ninja War? It is possible that your heroics may buy your freedom," Gaara stated.

Sasuke stood with stiff posture, his chained hands rested limply at his sides. "My brother and I worked to stop Kabuto. He is the one that performed the resurrection technique. Upon awakening in the resurrected state Itachi kept his mind and together we defeated Kabuto. After Itachi's second death I took the information he gave me about a technique where I could revive the four hokages. They were the only strong shinobi I had access to that could counter Madaara and Obito. I'm an Uchiha. It was my responsibility to stop my family from so much carnage. After seeing Naruto and Sakura in battle I realize that I didn't have to leave Konoha to become strong - I was wrong. I didn't have to cut my bonds with my instructor. I could have stayed right here and been known as a loyal member of the Leaf. I do not want to be known as a traitor. I came back because I care about Konoha."

"You care about Konoha or you care about Team Seven?" Tsunade asked.

"To me, that is the same thing. Konoha isn't a place, but the people within it," Sasuke said.

The Raikage created a static barrier between the kages (both living and the resurrected) and the audience of the tribunal. No sound could be heard from them as they discussed their decision.

"It's going to be fine," Naruto said shattering the silence of the room.

The lightning barrier dropped.

Sasuke stood once more to face his judgment.

"Uchiha Sasuke, we have decided to forgive you these transgressions," Tsunade announced. "You had extenuating circumstances that scarred you as a child. The only murder you have actually ever been found guilty of is Danzo and it is understood that he was murderous and corrupt and the one responsible for the destruction of your family. Those whom you have attempted murder are your own teammates, but they seem to seek your freedom more than any one and as they are the heroes of the Fourth Great Ninja War that must be taken into account. You will be allowed freedom if you are reinstated as a shinobi of the Leaf.

"You will remain a member of Team Seven. You are a genin and your subsequent missions will be genin level. If later you are deemed trustworthy you might be able to leave the village, but you must always be under the watchful eye of someone on your team. You are not to leave this village again unless you have the hokage's permission. And if you leave the village without my permission you will be considered a missing ninja." Tsunade paused in her declaration of sentence and looked Sasuke in the eyes. "Do you accept these terms?"

"Yes, I do," Sasuke said.

"And also one-hundred thousand hours of community service," Gaara added.

"Eleven and a half years?" Sasuke asked with his voice cracking in emotion. He seemed to scowl at himself - perhaps embarrassed by the crack in his voice?

"Do you accept?" Gaara asked.

"I can agree that I certainly owe the community," Sasuke said carefully.

"Very well," Tsunade said. She gestured from one of the guards inside the room to unlock Sasuke's shackles.

Sasuke rubbed his bruised wrists, but didn't complain. "You may leave with your teammates," Gaara said. "And due to your ready acceptance, your community service has been decreased to only one hundred hours of community service."

Sakura and Naruto ran to Sasuke and wrapped him in a hug. "Team Seven is back together forever!" Naruto enthused.

"All right you two, let's celebrate at the noodle stand, my treat!" Sakura said looping her arms through both Naruto and Sasuke's arms.

"I can't let you do that, Sakura," Sasuke argued.

"Non-sense. Your assets are still frozen so you have no money. Naruto here is terrible when it comes to saving money. I'm the senior ranking ninja of the three of us and earn more on missions so I'll treat," Sakura said smiling and ignoring the tears in her eyes. "And then when mission requests start up again mine and Sai's genin teammates can do some gardening and go catch cats."

"No! Sakura-chan! That's mean!" Naruto complained.

She glanced over at Kakashi. He'd already plucked out his Icha Icha book. "You too, Kakashi-sensei. I'm treating you as well."

"Well, I wouldn't pass up a free meal," Kakashi said.

"Sai? Come on, I know you want to come too. This is a Team Seven meal so that includes all team members," Sakura said.

"Yes, of course, Ugly," Sai said following in line with Kakashi.

Sasuke looked over his shoulder and glared daggers at Sai causing the latter to stumble slightly. "Don't ever call her that," he warned.

Sai shrugged. "It's a term of endearment. She once told me not to say what I mean. So, I call her Ugly because she's not."

"So when you call Ino Beautiful, what does that mean?" Shikamaru asked walking alongside them.

"Okay, guys, let's just go eat, okay?" Sakura asked.

"I need to release the resurrection jutsu," Sasuke said.

"You can at least wait until your chakra levels have replenished. I certainly won't mind a few more days with my son," Minato said. "Besides, I'd like it if I could stick around for Obito's trial too."

**OoO**

Itachi was relieved that the tribunal went as easily as it had. His role in helping to end the war had certainly been pivotal in the leniency of the kage judges as had the weight of the resurrected hokages. Sasuke's bonds with Team Seven in spite of his attempts to severe them had saved him.

"I had no idea you were so good at math," Sakura said when they sat beside each other at the counter at the Ichiraku Ramen. Team Seven had ordered and were rewarded with on-the-house meals.

"And you already knew that this meal would be on-the-house before you offered to cover the tab," Itachi answered. He stirred his ramen absently. "When will the funerals be? Or have I missed them?"

"It will be tomorrow. I had hoped you would join us at the memorial ceremony," Sakura said. The cheerful smile was gone and a great sadness dimmed her green eyes.

"I would like that."

Sakura reached up and twisted the charmed necklace at her throat.

Itachi followed her movement and recognized the necklace as the one he had given her. "Why do you keep wearing that necklace?"

"Because it was from Itachi," Sakura said dropping her hand away from it.

"What exactly happened with Kabuto?" Kakashi asked him.

"My brother and I joined forces and trapped him within an eternal jutsu. Then Orochimaru's remnants were released from Kabuto and he invaded my body. Itachi and I defeated him on a mental plane of reality. My brother sacrificed himself so that I might live," Itachi explained.

Sakura stopped playing with her necklace. "Itachi was a good man - a hero of Konoha."

Itachi directed his attention back to his ramen and ate in silence. He'd already spoken too much. It was time to do some brooding as only his little brother could do.

"That's familiar," Naruto said elbowing him in the ribs. "Time for the famous Sasuke brooding."

"What do you think will happen to Obito?" Sai asked.

"Good question. His crimes are a bit more severe than Sasuke's were. I don't know that I would want him free amongst our streets. I don't trust him," Kakashi said. "I would have killed him had Minato not stopped me."

"And I would have killed him if you hadn't stopped me," Itachi said.

"I had to protect my student from doing something that should have been my responsibility," Kakashi said. "I am sorry, Sasuke. I wish I had been a better teacher."

Itachi shrugged. "Your teaching was fine. I did master the chidori. I needed counseling."

"You both need counseling," Sakura said pointing her chopstick at both Itachi and Kakashi. "And so do you," she added pointing to Sai.

"So I'm the only other sane person here?" Naruto asked grinning cheekily at Sakura.

She gave him a one-armed hug. "You need the most counseling!"

"I think that would mean that you too need counseling as you are the one choosing to associate with mentally unstable men," Sai pointed out.

"Don't make her mad," Kakashi whispered.

Itachi felt himself smile at this Team Seven. When he was growing up he'd never had camaraderie like this with any of his teams. Sasuke really did give up something special when he ran away from these friends. He felt the familiar weight of sadness and guilt begin to drag him down. These were the things he took from Sasuke telling him to be an avenger.

He looked down at the hand that took his forearm in a comforting embrace. He recognized those long, thin fingers - fingers of a surgeon, and the manicured nails - definitely not Naruto. "It's going to be okay, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said with a small smile.

Itachi drew his hand away and started eating his meal. It was never going to be okay. He could feel it. Not only did he steal Sasuke's life, but now he was going to steal his friends and curse it all he was going to steal his love too.

"Okay, so, Naruto, what happened after Kakashi and I left? How did you guys convince Fuu to join us? And what happened to Kisame?" Sakura asked turning her attention to the blond.

Itachi was impressed, she wasn't even bothered that he as Sasuke had rebuffed her affectionate gesture. Was she used to that?

"Kisame?" Itachi asked. "Was he brought back too?"

"He was weird. He somehow got himself absorbed into Samehada and during our fight with Nagato and Konan when we tried to recruit Fuu and Chomei he sort of came out of the sword," Naruto explained. He turned back to Sakura. "Well, after you two left you know that Nagato and Konan regained their ability to control their resurrected bodies."

"Right, I'm assuming that you and Itachi are responsible for that," Sakura said turning to Itachi. He nodded. Their fight must have been at the same time that he and Sasuke were fighting Kabuto.

"Well Nagato and Konan are pretty smart. They came up with a way that we could seal Kisame back into the sword. And Bee and Fuu started fighting hand-to-hand while Gyuki spoke to Chomei telepathically. The seven-tails was the reasonable one of that pair. Fuu was ready to give up her life, but it was Chomei that was wanting to fight to survive. When Chomei realized that we were there to help and not to collect," Naruto explained. "And apparently I'm also the prophesied one that the Sage of the Six Paths that made the ten-tailed beast into the separate tailed beasts spoke of."

"How did you figure that out?" Sakura asked.

"Well, Gyuki and Chomei were talking telepathically and after we resealed Kisame, Kurama wanted to know what they were talking about. So we entered their conversation and basically its either me or Bee that is the prophesied one since we can and have spoken to the bijuus of other tailed beasts than our own. And Gyuki said that Bee wasn't part of the conversation until I joined in so that meant that I was the one enabling him to communicate with other bijuus and jinchuriki," Naruto explained.

"I'm really impressed you were able to explain all that," Sakura said. Itachi was impressed too, but he didn't say so.

Naruto shrugged. "I just repeated what Kurama told me."

Sakura punched him in the shoulder.

Naruto clutched his arm. "Ouch! Sakura-chan! Don't be so mean!"

"Fine!" Sakura said grabbing his arm and sending a wave of healing green chakra.

Itachi felt his lip curl up into a smirk. This was also a different side of Sakura he was seeing. And he knew, as Sasuke must have known, that Sakura was Naruto's best friend and not him. Would that have mattered?

Sai stood. "Thank you for including me in dinner. I need to return home. I will see you in the morning for the funeral."

"You're always welcome, Sai. You're one of us," Sakura said. "We'll meet at the third training field shortly after dawn."

"You're not going to make us do another bell test are you?" Naruto said rounding on Kakashi.

Kakashi shrugged. "We haven't done that test with Sasuke or with Sai."

Naruto opened his mouth wide to argue. Sakura put her hand over it and shushed him. "He's kidding, Naruto. Tomorrow is the big funeral. He's trying to make light."

"Right," Naruto said when she removed her hand. He turned to Itachi. "You're staying with me and my dad tonight. You're not allowed to be on your own just yet."

Itachi nodded. He hadn't really thought just yet where he was supposed to sleep. The Uchiha part of the village still existed and he supposed that was where Sasuke had lived. No wonder the kid was messed up.

"And you too, Kakashi-sensei. My dad wants to talk to you," Naruto added.

"The female is always excluded," Sakura said draining her water glass.

"You're welcome to share my bed, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said with a bright grin.

"I'm sure Hinata would love that," Sakura tossed back. She smiled when the colored drained from Naruto's complexion and his cheeks flamed a rosy red. "It's fine, I think I'll stay at my parents' house tonight. It will be good to see them."

"Would I be allowed to walk Sakura home?" Itachi asked.

"As long as you don't leave the village," Kakashi said. "You remember where Naruto lives?"

"Follow the smell of sour milk?" Itachi asked, recalling a memory of Sasuke's where his blond teammate had a severe case of indigestion caused by drinking bad milk.

"Not funny!" Naruto said reaching across the table for Itachi.

Sakura stood quickly and pulled Itachi up next to her. "I'll remind him where to go, Kakashi-sensei. Give your dad a hug from me, Naruto."

Itachi and Sakura walked out of the ramen stand together. His hands were tucked inside his pants pockets, much as Sasuke's would have been. Sakura's arms were crossed over her chest to ward off the cold night breeze.

"You really don't have to walk me home," Sakura said glancing over.

"I know, but I wanted a moment alone with you,"

"It's a bit of a long walk from the ramen shop, so you'll have several moments," Sakura assured him.

"What happened to Nagato and Konan?"

"After you were taken away they surrendered and allowed themselves to be sealed so that they might return to the afterlife. They were both very happy to have been able to help," Sakura explained. "I could have told you that back at the ramen stand."

"I also wanted to make sure you were okay. I know you were close to Neji," Itachi said.

"Many people were lost. But yes, I'm upset about Neji. I think he was the best of us. And, Sasuke, I'm not going to lie. After you left I was devastated. I thought that I loved you, and I did as much as any twelve year old girl can love someone. But then I became close with Neji a few years back and we dated off and on. When I was with you and Itachi I fell in love with your brother. I don't know how it happened, but it was different. It was different than what I felt for you and than what I felt for Neji. But, after he died, again, I thought that maybe when I returned to Konoha and after this war, maybe Neji and I could give it another shot. And then when I arrived to the battle Neji was dead and there you were. Out of nowhere, you show up and save the day."

"I'm sorry I didn't arrive sooner," Itachi said. Maybe he could have prevented Neji's death. And maybe Sakura could have ended up with the Hyuga hero. Itachi was afraid that he was going to ruin her life. Because even though he felt guilty about it, he was glad Neji died. Itachi not only had his own feelings for Sakura, but he also had the memory of Sasuke's feelings. If he had to watch her with someone else he would have had to leave the village again and then his new life would be forfeit.

"Don't be sorry, Sasuke. I'm glad you came back. You and Naruto are the Heroes of Konoha!" Sakura side-stepped to be in front of him and wrapped him into a big hug. His hands were still in his pocket and it was awkward for him to be hugged without returning it. "I'm so glad you're back," she said. He could feel warm tears soaking into his shirtfront. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and returned her embrace.

* * *

_A/N: For those of you worried this story is about to end there are still several chapters left - more so than I had originally planned. So, I would like some opinions. I haven't decided if I will keep Itachi in Sasuke's body looking like Sasuke or if I'll have him take on his own appearance. Apparently, in the series when Madaara takes over someone else's body he looks like himself - so it's a cannon possibility._


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight:**

Itachi stood between Sakura and Naruto at the Konoha military funeral of many of their comrades. Kakashi and Sai stood with them as did team Guy. Neji's team were all red-eyed. Itachi knew that the loss of Neji had devastated many, but part of him envied the Hyuga-dying a hero and having the widespread knowledge of being a hero. His name would be engraved into the memorial stone and his friends would visit it with loving hearts and wet eyes.

After the announcement of several of the names, Itachi saw that Kakashi had snuck out of the audience and not a two minutes later, Sai had done the same. They weren't the only ninjas that hadn't been able to stay for the entire duration of the funeral. When you had lost a lot of loved ones and friends it was hard to hear the list grow longer.

He was surprised when Sakura took his hand and turned her face into his shoulder, but he quickly adjusted by wrapping his arms around her and allowing her to cry into his chest. She thought he was Sasuke, but regardless of his form he would offer her comfort. He soothed his hand over her hair in reassurance. She surprised him and he almost doubted what he heard when she whispered. "We should be honoring Itachi too."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, so Itachi knew he heard her right. "We should talk to the Hokage later."

Sakura hugged her arms around Itachi in a tight embrace before stepping away and wrapping her arms around Naruto. The Uchiha watched feeling slightly dumbfounded that his brother's two teammates were crying silently, clutching to one another. "I really hate war. No wonder Nagato went crazy," Naruto complained as the funeral ceremony ended.

"Me too," Sakura agreed.

She took Naruto's hand and after a brief hesitation she also took Itachi's hand and together they filed out with the rest of the audience.

"Where was Sai?" Naruto asked.

"You know how emotionally fragile he is. I don't know if he'll ever be able to handle funerals," Sakura said. "Kakashi-sensei also left early."

"I need to end the resurrection jutsu," Itachi said. "It's disgraceful to see the dead brought back to life when so many have newly joined the ranks of the deceased. The grieving parties might demand that their lost ones be brought back."

"Can you wait just a little bit longer?" Naruto pleaded.

"Naruto, your father's spirit was unique. Part of his soul was sealed within you to contain Kurama. And the other half was sealed into the netherworld with half of Kurama's spirit. Once I release him he'll finally be able to join your mother in the afterlife," Itachi explained.

"I understand, I just, want one more day with him. Please?" Naruto asked.

"I will wait until the Hokage orders me to release them," Itachi promised.

"Naruto, you should check on Hinata," Sakura suggested.

"Her father isn't letting in any visitors. I already tried," Naruto said. "How about you two come over to my place tonight for dinner? Invite Kakashi-sensei and Sai too. My dad is an amazing cook!"

"We'll be there," Sakura promised. She and Itachi watched as Naruto ran down the street. "He's going to take the loss of his father very hard."

"It can be very hard to lose someone once. To lose them twice is almost insurmountable," Itachi agreed.

They walked down the streets in silence. Most businesses were closed in honor of those fallen in the war.

"Do you need to go to work today?" Itachi asked.

"No, Lady Tsunade gave me the rest of the week off from the hospital. My chakra reserves still need time to recover." She turned towards Itachi. "I'm on baby-sitting duty instead."

"Baby-sitting?" Itachi asked in confusion and then he scowled. "You mean me?"

Sakura reached up and pinched his cheeks. "You're the only baby I see," she teased.

Itachi swatted her hands away. "I am not a baby."

"No, but you are on parole," Sakura said with a serious expression, all playful banter lost. "I don't know where Kakashi-sensei is, you don't really know Sai, and Naruto needs time with his father. So you're stuck with me. Have you thought about where you might want to live?"

"I don't want to live at the Uchiha compound," Itachi said quickly. "It feels haunted there."

"I'll tell you what," Sakura said. "You can live in my apartment, for now, and I'll stay at my parents house. They still have my bedroom set up and were asking if I would consider staying with them a bit longer."

"That's very generous," Itachi said. He thought back to his visitations to Sakura's apartment. It was pretty nice. It would be interesting to see it from the point of view of a living person rather than as a ghost.

"All right, then it's decided. Let's see what you might like to keep from your old home."

**OoO**

There was a fine layer of dust on most objects in Itachi and Sasuke's old home. His first instinct was to go to his old bedroom, but he quickly altered his trajectory and went to Sasuke's room. He opened the dresser that was locked using a chakra seal and was able to see that Sasuke had already gathered most of the things worth saving. He had their parents' ceremonial robes with the Uchiha fan embroidered upon the back and their mother's engagement ring in the middle drawer. There were two framed pictures. One was of their family before Itachi had performed the massacre and the other was Team Seven when they were newly formed.

Sasuke's memories began to surface and it took a great deal of restraint for Itachi to not be overcome by them. He sat upon Sasuke's dusty bed with the pictures clutched within his hands. Sakura gently knocked on the door. When he didn't answer she came inside and sat beside him on the bed.

"We can do this some other time," Sakura said. "Or you can give me a list and Naruto and I can come and get the things you want."

"It's fine," Itachi said. He noticed that Sakura had a duffle bag in her hands.

"It was in the hall closet. I thought it might be useful," she explained.

Itachi set the ceremonial robes inside of it, as well as the picture frames. The ring he tucked inside of his pants pocket. He stood and left Sasuke's room and went to his old bedroom. It was obvious that it hadn't been entered since the day he left. He went straight to his dresser and took out the kunai his father had given him, the books that his mother had given him, and then he looked at his bed. He was wrong. Sasuke had been in there. The small teddy bear that he had given his little brother for his fifth birthday was sitting on his bed. With shaking hands, Itachi picked up the bear and placed it inside the duffle bag too.

Sakura was waiting in the hall. "Let's go," he said.

**OoO**

Itachi was exhausted, bone-weary, brain dead, and ready for the oblivion of sleep. Spending the day with Naruto and his father was exhausting beyond reason. It should have been illegal for anyone to have that much energy. The night before Sakura and the rest of Team Seven had joined them for dinner, courtesy of Minato's cooking skills. She'd brought him a spare key and said the apartment was ready for him. He hoped she didn't go through any trouble, but knowing her she probably spent the entire day cleaning it like a professional.

He looked back at the slip of paper in his hand with the apartment's address. It was a little harder to find things as a living soul than as a ghost. As a ghost it was possible to track down the person you wanted and just appear where they were. She lived on the third floor of a three-story apartment complex. It just seemed like cruel and unusual punishment to be forced up so many stairs when he felt so tired.

Itachi slipped the key into the lock of apartment 307 and let himself inside. He kicked off his shoes at the front door and set them in the small shoe rack next to the wall. He looked around Sakura's apartment. "My apartment," he corrected himself aloud. While Sakura wasn't completely girly, aside from the pink hair, the apartment definitely belonged to a female. The walls were bright and colorful with the obligatory accent wall, there were candles, pillows, throw blankets, mirrors, and pictures everywhere. And there was also a vase of fresh flowers on the mantle of her fireplace. It probably helped to be best girlfriends with the owner of the local flower shop.

He picked up an unlit candle and sniffed it. It was cherry blossom, of course. He then picked up a few others - lavender, cranberry, eucalyptus, vanilla. Wouldn't all those scents conflict with one another? He concentrated on the cranberry scented candle and set the wick on fire with a simple jutsu.

He ventured toward the refrigerator in hopes for a snack before heading to bed. It looked like Sakura had recently stocked it. Perhaps she did it for him?

"Really?" Itachi said shaking his head in disgust at the supplies in the refrigerator. There were apples, carrots, blueberries, yogurt, and some lemonade. That was it. He took an apple and then opened the cabinets and inside one he found a jar of peanut butter. It was better than nothing.

He sat at Sakura's breakfast table, sliced his apple into eight pieces with his kunai, then slathered on the peanut butter. In the middle of the table was a book about anatomy and it was opened to the section on the ocular structures. Itachi ate his snack while reading over the sections Sakura had highlighted. Was she still researching how his eye transplant might work? He found a little sticky note on the next page in the book. In Sakura's tiny and precise handwriting it said 'The eyes are the window to the soul.' She'd written under that 'connection between eyes and soul?'

After brushing his teeth Itachi stripped out of his clothes and wore only his boxers as he made his way for the bed. He turned down the covers and could smell the fresh scent of the recently laundered sheets. Sakura really went out of her way for him. He couldn't very well go to bed dirty if she went through the trouble to put out new sheets. With a groan he forced himself back to the bathroom for a quick shower. He used her shampoo and body wash and smelling decidedly clean and girly he went back to the bedroom.

He slipped inside the navy blue sheets and took a moment to enjoy their crisp coolness. It had been a long time since he's slept inside of an actual bed with actual sheets.

It wasn't long before he fell asleep and thankfully it was a dreamless sleep.

**OoO**

Two weeks had passed since the grand funeral. During that time Sakura found her time monopolized by her family and work. While Tsunade had originally given her time off, she quickly had to retract that generous offer and Sakura found herself working overtime at the hospital. She'd not seen Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, or Kakashi at all during that time. The only person she'd seen regularly was Ino. They'd made a point to have lunch together every day at the hospital which had become almost a second home to both. However, that was about to end. Ino had turned in her two-weeks notice at the hospital the day before. She'd be running her family's flower shop full time.

There were so many new names carved into the Memorial Stone. Sakura's eyes traced over the names of Neji Hyuga, Shikamaru's father Shika Naru, Ino's father Inoichi Yamaka, and Itachi Uchiha. When she'd first come to the grave marker that morning she'd seen Kakashi leaving. It was a comfort to know he was still in the village. They nodded heads in acknowledgment of each other as she took up the position he'd just vacated kneeling on the damp morning ground.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed—perhaps half an hour in solitude—before she sensed his approach. As his shadow fell over her she realized that this would be the first time that she'd been alone with Sasuke since she helped him move into her old apartment while she lived at her parents' house.

Sasuke didn't say a word as he kneeled beside her in front of the stone. She watched from her peripheral vision as the sullen young man shared in her quiet meditation. In the past there had always been an aura of anger and an avenger's spirit. The man beside her now simply seemed sad and hollow — and more like his older brother Itachi than he'd ever been before.

"Have you eaten?" Sasuke asked quietly.

"I seem to not have much appetite these days," Sakura admitted. Shizune had scolded her earlier the day before for not eating. She'd already lost five pounds that she didn't need to lose, but her appetite still couldn't be kick started. "I'm one of those stress non-eaters. Where's Naruto?"

"Hinata's father is finally allowing her to have visitors," Sasuke said.

"That's good. She needs her friends."

Sasuke made no reply but reached into the bag he had strapped to his thigh. He took out a small box full of sushi rolls. "Try and eat a few of these," he suggested.

Sakura wasn't hungry, but she knew it was important to eat. She accepted one of the sushi rolls and popped it into her mouth and began to chew it slowly. "I'm glad to see you're making good use out of my kitchen. So when do you intend to start on the second part of your life goals?"

"Pardon?" Sasuke asked turning to look at her fully. It was clear by the blank expression in his dark eyes that he really didn't know what she was talking about.

Sakura shifted so that she too was facing the avenging Uchiha and looked him over carefully. There was something different about him from the boy she was fighting alongside not too long ago. He'd been her friend again in the end — gave her the kunai that saved her life when trapped by his elders in that cavern so many weeks ago. But there was something more deeply tragic about him now than when he was a child. What sort of horrors did he experience under Orochimaru and then later when he discovered how much his brother loved him and what he sacrificed? Then being back in Konoha and surrounded by the ghosts of his family.

"I don't have any life goals right now. I can hardly believe I'm alive when so many are gone," he said gesturing toward the Memorial Stone. "I'm supposed to report to the hokage's office in the morning to end the resurrection jutsu of the first four hokages."

Sakura had wondered when he'd be ordered to end the jutsu. She was surprised that Tsunade had him keep it going for so long, but in this time of restructure and rebuilding it was nice to have the original leaders of the village around.

She knew very well that Sasuke's life goal after killing his brother, and then the ones responsible for his brother's demise, was to restore the Uchiha Clan. And he could only do that by popping out babies. And he needed a woman for that. He probably planned to use that Karin woman — and sadly that red-head might just let him turn her into a baby-making machine. Though, Sasuke had been back in the village for a few weeks and Sakura didn't think he'd even had any contact with his Hawk teammates. And Sakura was mad at herself for being next to Sasuke who was being sweet and thoughtful and wishing that she was with Itachi instead. She felt like a terrible person.

"I guess you'll be getting in touch with Karin then," Sakura concluded.

"Who?" Sasuke asked with a confused look in his dark eyes. "Oh, right, Karin. I don't have any reason to seek her out. Why do you ask?"

"What happened to Itachi?" Sakura asked instead of answering his question. "After you two defeated Kabuto?" She clutched at the chain around her neck — it had felt cold for some time and she knew that Itachi was finally gone from this world. She looked Sasuke directly in the eyes — seeing the slightly different shade than the ones she remembered from their youth, because they weren't Sasuke's eyes. They were Itachi's eyes and she loved Itachi's eyes and could stare at them all day long.

"My brother died," Sasuke answered turning his gaze away from her. "I tried to save him, but in the end he didn't want to be saved. He just wanted peace."

"I'm glad that Lady Tsunade listened to the petition Naruto and I put forth to add Itachi's name to the Memorial Stone," Sakura said looking back at the stone and eating a second piece of sushi. She wasn't hungry, but the sparse meal didn't make her nauseated like most food did these days. Could it be that she felt settled in Sasuke's presence?

"I didn't realize you two had done that," Sasuke said. "Thank you."

Sakura shrugged. "It's no big deal. He was one of the best." Her eyes filled with tears. "I just wish I could have known him longer."

"I'm sure he felt the same," Sasuke murmured. He closed the box of sushi rolls, put them back into his pouch and closed it before he rose to his feet and offered his hand to Sakura. "Come on, let's go for a walk. I'm not allowed to wander the village without a chaperone and Naruto dropped me off here before he went to Hinata's."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at his hand in suspicion. "This isn't your attempt for phase two of your plans?"

"Phase two?" He rubbed his forehead vigorously. "You're giving me a headache. Just tell me already what this phase two is and why you're so upset about it."

She accepted his hand and his grip tightened as he pulled her up. Had he grown even taller in their time apart? He kept her hand held in his and Sakura allowed the act of familiarity. "Phase two was your restoring the Uchiha clan."

"Restoring the…" Sasuke trailed off and the tips of his ears burned crimson. He cleared his throat. "That is not my immediate goal. But I wouldn't mind one day having a family. It would be nice."

"Where are we walking to?" Sakura asked, feeling satisfied that she embarrassed the stoic Sasuke Uchiha. It helped to tease her old teammate to distract her from the numb feeling of depression that normally rested in her belly since she'd been forced to leave Itachi and then Neji's subsequent death.

"I don't exactly have a destination in mind," he admitted.

"I heard that Kakashi has legal guardianship over you until you reach the age of eighteen," Sakura said. "You have a little less than a year before the Uchiha fortune is released to your discretion."

"Kakashi suggested renovating the Uchiha compound. However, like I told you earlier I'm not interested. The Uchiha clan is gone. It would be an insult to their memory to try to replace them. I do not wish my future family to be surrounded by ghosts and tragedy. The hatred of Madaara and Obito stemmed from the demands of the Uchiha family. My father was the head of the police force charged with protecting the citizens of the Leaf, but instead he planned a coup to overthrow Konoha."

"It's a proud lineage," Sakura protested.

"I don't care about lineage. Naruto's parents were powerful and well-respected, but after they died no one cared who Naruto's parents were only that he was the host of the nine-tailed beast. Kakashi's famous father only resulted in tragedy for him. Your mother is a citizen and your father a low-ranking ninja and yet you are the strongest and smartest kunoichi I have ever crossed paths with. Sasuke was blessed beyond reason to be part of Team Seven." His lips pressed together tightly as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

"Sasuke was blessed?" Sakura queried looking up at her companion. She pulled on his hand and forced him to stop walking. "Sasuke? Aren't _you _Sasuke?"

"That's what I said," he answered.

Sakura moved to stand in front of him and placed both hands on his shoulders to look him straight in the eyes. "What really happened in the fight with Kabuto? Kakashi-sensei said you were different, that you could now control the element of water as well as fire and that you were having a little bit of trouble with your lightning. You could still make the chidori, but weren't using it to charge up your sword anymore."

"Of course, it is a side effect of the transplanted eyes," he answered smoothly.

"No, it's not. Kakashi didn't inherit any of Obito's elements with his transplanted eye," Sakura countered. Could it be? Should she dare to hope? What would it say about her to wish that somehow the man before her wasn't the man before her?

"I need to report in with Kiba, he is supposed to be monitoring my D-ranked missions this week. I have several gardens to weed and cats to catch," he said looking away from her.

"You just said you had nothing to do," Sakura argued. She sent a surge of probing chakra through Sasuke's body, he tried to back away from her but she held tight. And she confirmed her suspicion. "You're alive," she said releasing her grasp on him and stumbling back a step. The body was Sasuke's, but the chakra wasn't the same. It was a more familiar chakra. He reached out and steadied her with a quick arm around the waist. "How?"

"After our battle Sasuke gave up. I tried to reach him, but I found myself trapped inside his body. I know he is truly gone because his memories merged with mine. He loved you, Sakura."

"I loved him for years," Sakura admitted. "It was a childish fantasy. Then I learned to love again, in a mature all-encompassing way with you. Do you not remember?"

"Of course I remember, Sakura. I hardly could think of anything else after I sent you away. And yet, here I am. I took away Sasuke's entire family and now I have taken away the love of his life. He loved you and I cannot separate my feelings from his anymore. I do not know if the way I feel about you is because of his feelings or mine."

"Oh, Itachi, does it matter?" Sakura asked with a wavering smile.

"Yes, it matters."

"Then let's head back so you can check in with Kiba and chase wayward cats and slay evil weeds. I have a shift at the hospital this afternoon. Do you think you can come by the hospital lobby around five this evening for dinner? The cafeteria food is palatable."

"I would enjoy that after a day of chasing cats," Itachi admitted. "However, I would rather invite you over to the apartment. I can make dinner. Or I can order take-out."

"Did you ever chase cats when you were a genin?"

"Of course not, I was promoted at such a young age and was the child of the most prominent clan in the village - chasing cats was a task below my station."

"You're saying Team Seven was inferior?" Sakura challenged.

"I'm saying times were peaceful for a long enough duration to give you a chance to be children. It is the best gift a ninja can give to his village. An opportunity for children to be children."

"And now you can relive your childhood's missed deeds by chasing cats and pulling weeds," Sakura said. "With the other genin," she added hooking her elbow through Itachi's arm. "You'll be exhausted after chasing all those cats. My vote is for take-out food for dinner."

"The chunin exams this fall cannot get here soon enough," he murmured.

"You and Naruto can be teammates. Technically you both missed the Chunin Promotion Exams given your tutelage under the Sannin and absence from Konoha." She giggled, glad to have something to be cheerful about compared to her depressed mood a short time ago. "I might end up serving as your proctor."

"Who did you test with, Sakura?"

"Since Shikamaru was promoted in the first exams I teamed up with Ino and Choji and passed the next year."

"It does seem cruel to make me go through all these hoops considering I made the rank of chunin at ten years old and Anbu not six months later," Itachi grumbled.

"You didn't want the name Uchiha to affect your experiences anymore so now you can feel what it is like at the bottom of the totem pole. You'll be an Anbu Captain again before you know it."

"I do not wish to be part of Anbu, perhaps I can re-establish the police force. And gain about five inches of height. I hate being short."

"You're still taller than me. Let's just get you back to Kiba so you can go through the hoops until you can be promoted to chunin," Sakura said. "And then I'll meet you for dinner later."

"Is that an order from a superior ranked ninja?"

"Indeed it is, Itachi."

"You should call me Sasuke," he said.

"All right, Uchiha. Let's get you to your D-ranked mission."

"Sakura?" Itachi asked. She looked up at him. "I need to do something right now. Do you mind?"

"I suppose not," Sakura said.

Itachi stopped walking and stood in front of her. He placed his hands on either side of her chilled face and drew near so that he could press his lips to hers. Not only were his hands warm against his cold skin, but his lips were also warm against hers. Sakura was so shocked that she didn't even return the kiss and then he was pulling away.

"Hold on a second, I wasn't ready," she murmured reaching up and drawing him back to kiss him. She closed her eyes and pressed her body up close to his. He was less wiry and more muscular, his lips were softer than Itachi's had been in their shared dreams, but his grip more possessive. Sakura pulled away for breath and the two looked at each other breathing heavily. She smiled, because at least the eyes were Itachi's and that was familiar.

"So, uh, if you'd like to move back into your old apartment, I won't complain," Itachi said.

"I'm sure you wouldn't," Sakura agreed taking his hand and heading toward the hospital. Her step had a cheerful bounce in it because she realized there might just be a happy ending for her and Itachi after all.

* * *

_A/N: So far, this and then my future chapter 31 are my favorites. So, keep tuned! As always, your reviews are appreciated. They make Itachi feel all warm and fuzzy inside!_


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